City Girl, Country Boy
by SoDeSi47
Summary: Actress Annabeth Chase wants desperately to get the part in an upcoming movie. The only problem is the character has to know how to ride horses, and Annabeth doesn't. So she goes to a ranch in Colorado for the summer to learn. However, when the rancher's son happens to be a sea-green eyed boy who could make supermodels drool, her plans—and her feelings—are thrown into disarray.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my new story, if that wasn't obvious, I guess. :) Read and enjoy! **

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_Annabeth_

"Don't forget your sunglasses and hat, and make sure you stay out of the way of people, and if you see anybody with a camera, steer clear immediately, and if—"

"Mom." The single word I uttered stopped my parent's rush of instructions. I had half a mind to just hang up right now, but I was incredibly bored on the plane, and listening to my mom rant and rave about what I was supposed to do was more interesting than sitting and trying to fall asleep, no matter how bizarre that sounded. Normally I couldn't stand listening to my mom's instructions. They were more like demands that if you didn't follow, she'd find some way to ground you. Like, not let you try out for a new world-wide movie coming up. Well, that's how I got grounded.

Mind you, this is the fifth time she's called. Sometimes I wonder if having a mom as an agent is worse—being more protective than ever and all. Hey, at least I didn't have to have bodyguards. That would suck.

Okay, let me back up a little. My name is Annabeth Chase, I'm a seventeen-year-old actress who lives in California, the Golden State. I became pretty famous when I played the lead role in a popular movie when I was nine, and from then on, it was pandemonium. More acting, more movies, more fame, more troubles. You may think being an actress who's name most everybody in the world knows would be fun, but it could get seriously stressful and irritating at times.

However, it was my life, and I loved acting. I could get past all the other letdowns if I just got to act. My mom was a good agent. She was a businesswoman who had a lot of important connections with people around, and she got me into a lot of movies. Even though she and I had a rocky relationship, we still worked together pretty well.

Recently, there's a new movie being planned. It's called "The Girl's Cowboy". That was my goal. I wanted to be in that movie so bad, and not just because the main actor—who's already been picked—is Luke Castellan, the hottie of Hollywood. Well, yes, I did kind of want to be in the movie for that reason, but I also wanted to get into the movie because I loved horses.

Only problem? I didn't know a thing about horses, and the title hints at the movie doing a lot with horses. The solution to this dilemma is learning.

So that's where I was right now, on a plane to a ranch in Colorado where I would stay for the summer. Hopefully by the end of the visit, I would be able to ride and take care of a horse. By then, my spot as the main actress was basically established. The movie director had already shown a large interest in using me as the main actress, so I just needed to learn my way around the equestrian life.

"Mom," I repeated, "I'll be fine. No one will recognize me. I've done this before, you know."

"Well, yes," my mother said. "But that was with me, or Malcolm." Malcolm was my older brother, and he took mom's path of becoming a business person, already owning a manufacturer of his own. He and I were pretty close, but I hadn't seen him in a while.

"I promise I'll make sure I'm not recognized," I reassured her, my exasperation barely concealed as my gaze latched onto the square plots of farm land down on the ground. The intercom sounded above me, and I listened to it for a second. "I gotta go, we're landing. I'll talk to you later, mom."

"Okay. Remember, your driver is looking for the name Jackson. That's the last name of the family at the ranch, and we're just using that name so they don't recognize ours."

I told her I would remember, then ended the call, sighing before settling back into my seat and slipping the belt around my waist. I wasn't on a private jet, that would be too conspicuous. So instead I just had colored contacts in, a Yankee's baseball cap to cover most of my features, and makeup that shielded my face well. I was proud of my makeup artist, Piper McLean, for doing such a good job. She and I were also good friends, and I was hoping she'd find time to visit during the summer.

The person sitting beside me was snoring, sounding like a whale coming up for air each time he breathed in. I resisted the urge to see how full of Pepsi I could make his open mouth without spilling. However, I wouldn't have had the time anyway—the stewardess was constantly pacing up and down the length of the plane.

We landed smoothly, and I grabbed my bags and hurried out into the airport. The sign up on the wall read, "Welcome To West Burge, Colorado!" People walked by without giving it a second glance, continuing on with their life. I followed the bulk of passengers to the baggage claim, careful to keep my head down.

We—as in me, my mom, and some of my other agents—didn't want the world to know I was here for two reasons. One being the fact that my mom believed I needed some "down-time" before the big movie so I would perform better, and two, we didn't really want everybody to know I didn't know how to ride a horse. Well, I did know how to, but not very smoothly or well. So after a bunch of planning, we finally found a relatively small town in Colorado, and the ranch owners knew my mom and assured her they would keep everything secret. By the way my mom talked about the ranch owner, she didn't seem very fond of him. But she allowed me to go to the ranch, claiming it was the only one they could get in such short notice.

The thought intimidated me, though: Going to a family I didn't even know and spending the summer at their ranch. I know, big star Annabeth Chase was scared? Hey—I was human. Not some supernatural person who has just about no fears. Don't get all Four or Tobias on me, people.

"Ma'am, you dropped this," I heard someone say behind me. I pivoted to see a man holding my wallet, it's button snapped open, revealing my ID and license and all. A picture of my face—not too much makeup and no hat—smiled up at the man, who's eyes widened. But before he could have too close a look at the name, my hand swung out, swiping it from his fingers.

"Oh, thanks," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "Didn't know I dropped it."

He squinted at me. "Um, what's your name? You look familiar?"

"Uh- Annabel. Annabel . . . Jackson." I just said the first name that came to mind. Annabel was a name I often used, and I might as well use Jackson, since I'm going to their house is anyway. I hoped they wouldn't mind. Oh, well.

"I really have to go, sorry," I muttered, stepping back and almost tripping on my luggage I just picked up. There were only two big suitcases and my small backpack for the plane that held my purse and other belongings. The man was still staring at me as I hurried away, thankful for the hat that I could pull down low.

I found my way out of the airport into a large parking lot. Cars were either stationed on the curb or driving around, and quite a few people were holding up signs with last names. Flipping my sunglasses on, I walked down, my grey eyes searching.

Soon I saw a man, probably around his mid-forties, leaning against a pick-up truck. He had black hair turning grey in some spots, and warm green eyes that held smiling wrinkles on the edges, lining his face. When he saw me, he waved me over. I approached cautiously.

"Miss Annabel?" he asked, but I caught his subtle wink as he said the name.

Smiling, I said, "Yes, sir. Are you Mr. Jackson?" He nodded, introducing himself. I accepted his offered hand, then he helped me put the luggage into the bed of the truck.

He came around, holding my door open for me, to which I politely thanked him before climbing in. Then he walked around and got in himself.

"Well, Miss Annabeth, it's good to meet you. You can call me Poseidon."

I smiled slightly, feeling awkward. "Thanks for letting me stay at your place."

He shrugged as he stuck the keys in the ignition and twisted. I felt the car vibrate as it came to life. Poseidon bullied his way into the line of traffic before answering. "No problem. Even though Athena and I have had some rough times, I didn't hold that against you, and I like having visitors to the ranch. It's a wonderful place."

"I bet it is, and I love horses," I replied. "I just don't really know my way around them."

"By the end of the summer, I promise you will know more than most. We'll get you in that movie, don't worry."

I grinned at him, settling back into my seat. "So is it just you at the ranch or. . .? My mom didn't exactly give me details."

"No, I have son. He's about your age. His name's Percy, and his mom and stepdad live down the road. They're up at the ranch a lot." I raised an eyebrow, and upon seeing this, Poseidon hurried to explain. "Oh, it's fine. Sally—that's her name—is a friend of mine now, and her husband Paul is a fine man. I don't mind it at all."

He took a turn right on the highway, silence ensuing for a moment. It was beautiful here, so different from San Francisco, which is where I lived. Instead of skyscrapers and buildings, trees surrounded the area, and I could see the Rocky Mountains poking over the tops of the branches. The buds had opened on the branches, and the late May air was warm. The sun was going down, and on the drive it disappeared behind the earth, darkness invading the sky. Poseidon and I exchanged small talk as we drove on, but I was really tired and mostly just leaned my head against the window, watching nature fly by.

After about a half of an hour of driving, Poseidon turned into a long gravel driveway traveling under a canopy of treetops. "This is beautiful," I commented, staring at the sight above and around us. Wildflowers dotted the edges of the lane, which continued straight for a time before breaking out into the open.

"Thank you," Poseidon answered, glancing briefly at me. A quick look in the rearview mirror showed dust kicking up in the light of dusk.

Before long we had come in sight of a large ranch house, looking regal and grand up on a hill. It was in the middle of a huge clearing, with a big barn on one side, a paddock next to the barn. On the other side of the house was a garden, but I couldn't see too clearly in the dark.

The house was white, with two floors and a balcony on the upstairs. The floor of the upstairs balcony had Greek fashioned columns protruding from the bottom, reaching down to the deck of the first floor with the main door on the wall back a little in the middle of the columns.

"That's beautiful, too," I said dazedly. I was used to big mansions that were modern and too expensive and clean. This looked like a mansion, but a... country one, I guess.

A few lights were on, and one flickered on in a window on the main floor when the headlights of the truck hit the house. We pulled up to a large, three-car garage connected to the house on the left side. Poseidon turned off the engine, then got out of the car. I did as well, shutting the door and looking towards the house. As I did so, the front door opened, and out came a young man. Again, the darkness limited my sight, but he looked about my age.

As he neared us, he called out, "Hey, dad."

"Hello, Perce. Can you get a suitcase?" Poseidon asked, getting one of my bags and letting Percy get the other.

"I'll introduce you guys inside with a little light," Poseidon said. I could see a half-moon of white as he smiled. I followed them both up a few steps and into the house. Big windows surrounded the entryway, and through them I could see a grand staircase curving up into the second floor, and opposite of the stairs was a living room.

When we went in, light flooded into my eyes and I blinked a few times. I stood for a moment, watching as Percy took both suitcase and rolled them over by the stairs. I could only see the back of him. He had broad shoulders and a muscular form. Black hair hung in every which way around his head, the length reaching to a little longer than his ears, but the top part was thicker and lengthier. When he turned around, I saw that it fit him. It fit him very well, actually.

Living with world-famous actors and models around me, I got to meet quite a few attractive guys. Ultimately, I thought Luke Castellan—who was America's number one guy at the moment—was the best looking man in the world. But my mind almost made me question that.

Percy was pretty tall, and his ebony mess above his head brought out his eyes. They were like Poseidon's, but just way more amazing. They looked like miniature oceans swirling around, and when they met mine, I'm pretty sure the bones in my knees disappeared for a second. But I was an actress, so none of what I was thinking showed on my face as I held out my hand.

"Annabeth Chase," I said. When his hand touched my, little lightning bolts shot through my entire body—but again, nothing showed. Acting could be pretty handy in these moments.

"Yeah, I know. You're kind of popular," he said. I noticed his tone wasn't exactly all the way friendly, and I frowned for a moment, glancing at Poseidon, who sighed, looking away.

"Percy, could you bring her bags up to her room, please?" he asked. Percy's eyes lingered on mine, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Then he did as his dad told him, grabbing my two suitcases. My backpack was slung around my own shoulder.

"Careful, they're kind of heavy." But Percy just ignored my words, hauling them up the stairs. He held them like they didn't weigh that much. He went up the stairs, then disappeared around a corner. I watched the spot where I had last seen him.

"I'm sorry," Poseidon apologized. "I was fine with you coming here, but Percy's having a little tougher time. With you here, he's going to have to keep a lot of things secret during the summer, and not let as many friends over, since we want to keep you hidden and all."

I winced. I hadn't really realized what it would be like for the family I was moving in with. Poseidon saw this, and he rushed to say, "Oh, no. He'll get over it. Besides, I think you guys could become good friends."

Percy reappeared, tromping down the stairs. He wore dirty jeans and an old t-shirt, clearly having been out and doing chores around the ranch earlier.

"Thanks, Percy," Poseidon said to his son, who stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded curtly. "Can you show Annabeth to her room? I bet she's tired."

Percy turned and started walking back up the stairs.

"Good night, Annabeth. Rise and shine early with the sun," Poseidon told me with a grin. I returned it, saying goodnight as well before following Percy up the stairs.

I found that when you turned at the top of the staircase, there was a hallway with two doors opposite of each other in the middle. There were two more doors farther down at the end. Percy was beckoning me forward, and I followed him. He gestured to one of the doors in the middle of the hallway. "This is my room, and your's is right here." He pointed at the doorway just opposite of his.

Putting his hand on the knob of my doorway, he pushed it open. I walked in, my eyes meeting a fairly big room. There was a bed, the headboard against the gray wall, with blue covers. On either side of the bed on the wall were two big windows, the curtains shut at the moment. On the left side of the room was a walk-in, empty closet, a dresser with a mirror above it inside. On the other side of the room was a bathroom. It was pretty nice, and I liked the simplicity of it all.

Percy was leaning in the doorway, watching me. "You look different," he said suddenly, almost as if thinking out loud.

"Makeup. Lots of it. And my hat," I said. I reached my hand up and grabbed the Yankee's cap, pulling it off my head. I took out my ponytail, too, letting my blonde curls fall down around my shoulders. He watched the hair as it fell, then looked back at me.

"Well, you all set?" he asked, his green eyes studying me intently.

I nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"Good night."

"'Night."

He and I stared at each other for a second, then he grabbed my door, swinging it shut for me. When the door closed, I took a deep breath, looking around the unfamiliar place. I walked lightly over to the bathroom, peeling off the layers of makeup on my face. I really was never one for makeup—I avoided it if I could. Changing quickly, I jumped into the comfy bed. I checked my iPhone, but there were no messages or calls from my mom. I texted her quickly, letting her know I had made it.

Exhaling, I snuggled under my covers. I could hear Percy moving in his room opposite of mine, and it was a little unnerving, how close his room was. I know, I was kind of spoiled, and I had never shared a room with anybody, or even had a room on the same floor as someone else at any of my homes. Malcolm was out of the house, so it was just me and my mom. I visited my dad sometimes, and his wife and two sons, but even then, I stayed a hotel when I did so. Hotels were different.

I wondered how the months would pass by. Would Percy and I become friends, or would we stay distant with each other? Was he the one that would teach me how to ride horses? What were we going to do tomorrow? What were we even having for breakfast?

At that last question, I sighed, knowing sleep's touch had made me drowsy. Sleep seduced me into its arms, and I fell willingly into its dark embrace, welcoming the soft touch that overtook my mind, soothing it into unconsciousness.

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**Just so ya know, West Burge is made up, so don't like, look it up and expect results or anything. :)**

**So, thanks for reading! I don't know how many of you came from my other story I just finished, Forbidden Percabeth, but either way, I'm glad you all clicked on this story and made it through the first chapter. :)**

**Thanks again, guys! **


	2. Chapter 2

**The instant support I got from all you readers was amazing. Thank you so much! :)**

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_Annabeth_

When you wake up in San Francisco, the sounds that meet your ears are constant traffic, beeping horns, people yelling, ads explaining, and—yes, sometimes this happened—people screaming outside your door. Being a world-known actress, that was more than likely to happen if your whereabouts were open to the world. It took quite a few security guards to get them away, but mostly I just left, signing so many papers and bags and t-shirts that I had my signature perfected down to the very last curlicue.

So being used to all the noise, when I woke up at the ranch, I instantly noticed something was different. It was silent. Almost no sound except for birds in the woods by the house and a horse whinnying. It was amazing, honestly. The streaks of sunlight streaming soundlessly in set the room in a hazy tone, making me want to lie in bed all day and just revel in the different but pleasant atmosphere. The bed was cozy, the morning air was crisp and fresh, and the open window letting nature's sounds in—I felt like I was acting in a movie. It was picturesque.

I pulled myself into a sitting position, rubbing my eyes and looking around the room. My suitcases lay deserted by the foot of the bed, mussed up from me searching for my pajamas last night. I messed it up even more, finding a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt with a New York slogan. I yanked my hair back into a messy ponytail, then went my door.

My tiptoed footsteps made muffled noises on the floor, and my looming shadow on the wall bounced up and down. When I reached the door, I opened it quietly, then peeked out. Nobody was in the hallway. There was also no noise coming from Percy's room. I slipped out, shut the door, then trudged down the stairs. Nobody here, either. But before I could wonder too much about where the people were, I caught sight of a plate sitting on the island counter in the kitchen. It was covered by a glass, keeping the food warm. Under that, I saw, were scrambled eggs and sausage patties and a sliced apple. As the smell wafted over to me, my stomach rumbled, and my feet dragged me over to the counter. A neon green sticky note was attached to the surface beside the plate, held down by a fork laying out beside the dish.

_Annabeth_

_I had to go to town. Percy's out doing chores. Enjoy breakfast! :)_

_Poseidon_

I grinned at the smiley face, then grabbed the fork and dug in. It was delicious, way better than the fast-food restaurants I usually had breakfast at when I'm was being rushed around the country for a movie. I glanced out the window while I was eating, looking for a glimpse of a person outside, but I couldn't see Percy. When I finished my meal, I brought my dishes over to the sink. Contrary to the popular belief, I knew my way around a house. I didn't have a servant accompanying me every minute, ready to wash my things and pick up my phone if I drop it. That's stupid. I can do things like a normal person.

I scrubbed the dishes so they resembled a sparkling gem, then opened every single cabinet to try and find where they went. Of course, it had to be the last cupboard I opened that held the plates.

After that, I grabbed some shoes and went outside, hoping to find something to do. I didn't want to stand around and do nothing. The sunlight greeted me like a warm embrace as I stepped out. It was around eight, so the dew had vanished already, the grass plush like a blanket of green covering earth's dark colors. Walking down the steps, I followed the concreted sidewalk over to a paved platform in front of the garage. Between the sidewalk and the house was a garden, vibrant flowers peeking up at me. I could see the woods, and I heard the birds singing from here.

It was scenic, absolutely beautiful. I never got to hear the birds, see the stars, or even smell that fresh of air in a big city. Here—it was like I was in a fairytale, any road so far away I couldn't hear anything but nature and the occasional horse from the stable on the hill.

"Good morning," I heard a voice say from behind me, breaking the moment. I spun around, seeing Percy standing there in work clothes. Mud splattered his boots and the cuffs of his jeans, which hung off his slim hips. A flannel shirt was thrown hastily over a t-shirt, and a cowboy hat blocked his eyes from the sun. He looked like he should be in a movie. His green eyes watching me carefully, brighter than the grass.

"Hey," I said. "What're you doing?"

He shrugged, his glove-covered hands coming up slightly. "Chores. I need to let out the horses, but dad also wanted me to weed the garden and—"

"I can help," I told him quickly, anxious to do something to make him like me better. I remembered his cold, distant way of greeting me last night. Plus, he was sacrificing a lot to let me stay here, maybe I could help him a little.

He looked dubious. "Can you, I don't know . . . weed?"

I gave him a look. "Really? Of course I can. I didn't grow up under a rock."

"Yeah, but," he said, smirking, "the city can conceal even a bit more of nature than a rock."

"I'll do fine." My voice was firm, and he looked at me, saw my determination, and lifted a shoulder once more.

"Okay, fine. Thanks." He gestured back to the house, the light shifting on his face and shadowing a strong jawline. "My mom's gloves are back in the left garage. Usually she's the one that takes care of the gardens, but she and her husband are out on a trip."

I nodded, starting to walk over to where he had pointed. But before I had gone a few steps, Percy called out again. "Annabeth?" I turned, raising an eyebrow in question. His eyes were unreadable again; he was good at concealing his emotions. "I like you without makeup on."

I frowned in confusion. "Um, thanks?" But he had already turned, heading back to the stables to see the horses. "Okay, then," I said, shaking my head a little and going to the garage. The left garage turned out to be not really a place for cars, but a shed full of tools and yard appliances. A mower sat in the corner, flakes of cut grass still clinging to the motor. I searched the shelves nailed onto the left wall, and found a pair of small, grey gardening gloves. They were resting tiredly in between a sack of fertilizer and a hose, and when I pulled them free, a bit of dirt shook loose. I slipped them on my hands, feeling my fingers get covered with the hard leather before walking back out. I headed to the garden, the colors of the flowers once again catching my eye.

I was glad I had put on my boots, for it was kind of sludgy around here—but that made it easier to yank out the stubborn plants. Soon enough, I had a pile of greens sitting on the sidewalk, and the once messy garden was looking a little neater. I was all about doing a thorough job, and Malcolm always teased me that I had OCD. I didn't, I just liked things to be perfect. So maybe I was a perfectionist. Whatever.

"Nice job," someone said behind me. Percy had come up with a wheelbarrow, and he started piling the weeds in. His flannel shirt was off due to the warmth beating down on us from the midmorning sun, revealing glistening arms with muscles that shifted as he moved. His shirt was sweaty, clinging to his stomach in a way that made me blush a tiny bit. Why would I blush, I'd seen men without shirts on a lot. I mean, I was an actress and sometimes that happened. So why was this one guy making me blush as I saw his _covered _stomach?

I averted my eyes, looking instead at his face while scolding my blush for visiting unexpectedly. "Thanks. Though it's not that hard to weed."

He chuckled. "You should see my girlfriend, she hates weeding and isn't very good either. So that proves that statement wrong."

_Girlfriend?_ Even in my head, my voice sounded disappointed. I was instantly mad with myself. Why would I be disappointed? Gods, I've barely known the boy for a day. I shoved all my thoughts down, forcing a smile. I thought before I spoke, knowing I might say something I'd regret. "Well, I bet her talent lies elsewhere." There, that was pretty nice, right?

He shrugged. "Yeah. She's coming over later in the week. She knows who you are, by the way. We can trust her. I thought you two would be pretty good friends." My eyebrow rose. She better be pretty trustworthy, because I'd kick her if she reported me to paparazzi or something. That happened once when my identity got out to the wrong person. I was trying to just get a nice vacation in the Bahamas with my dad and brothers and stepmom—then all hell broke loose as cameras were shoved in my face on the way out of a restaurant.

I nodded, not looking at him. The sun beat down on me, and I shivered slightly as I felt a drop of sweat slither down my spine like a snake. "Yeah, sure. Thanks for thinking of it."

"Yeah, and . . . " His thoughtful voice made me turn to watch him. He bit his lip, his sea-green eyes trained on me. "I'm sorry—for not being too friendly last night. I was just kind of . . . unfriendly, I guess. I'm just gonna have to get used to someone else being here. And it was kind of weird meeting you, since I've only seen you in, like, movies and magazines and such."

"That's fine, Percy," I told him, waving off his apology. "_I_ should be saying sorry for making your family go through what you're going to have to go through this summer. I just hope I won't totally ruin it."

He smiled slightly at me, a lopsided grin that strangely sent my stomach aflutter for a moment. I smiled back, and he said, "Well, I have to finish chores. But I'll see you later, Annabeth."

"Bye, Percy," I replied, finally feeling better that Percy wasn't too mad with me. Before Percy had disappeared around the corner of the shed, though, a car came up in the driveway. It was Poseidon, the black automobile glinting in the sunlight as he came to a stop in front of the garage. He got out and spoke with Percy for a bit, probably about whatever he went to town for. I went back to my weeding, pulling out the leaves that didn't belong.

"Good morning, Annabeth!" Poseidon's happy voice entered my ears, and I turned with a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Jackson," I said.

He frowned, holding up a hand. "No 'Mr. Jackson', my name is Poseidon." He grinned at me, coming up to look at my work so far.

"Very nice and neat, we might just have to hire you full time."

I laughed. "I'm willing to help out."

"Thank you, Annabeth, but you don't have to. You're a guest."

"A guest that's staying for about three months," I countered.

He shrugged, smiling. "Well, if you want, you can take a break and come help me make some sandwiches." I agreed, standing up and glancing towards the garage where I had last seen Percy.

Poseidon noticed my line of sight, and he said, "Oh, he's got to fix a part on the paddock fence that tore down from a storm a couple days ago. We'll bring him a sandwich so he doesn't have to quit."

I nodded, and Poseidon and I walked up to the big house, taking our boots off outside before tromping into the kitchen. Poseidon went to a cabinet and opened it, twisting to throw a loaf of bread at me. I caught it, and he nodded in approval. "Good reflexes." I laughed at his words, going to the counter to lay out the bread.

Turns out Percy liked blue. I'm not kidding. Poseidon had somewhere gotten blue mustard and mayonnaise, and the cucumbers he used even had a blue tint. At least the ham and cheese weren't blue, that'd be kind of disgusting. When I asked Poseidon, he just said that Percy liked his food to be blue. I shook my head, dismissing the thought as I poured an indigo stream of mustard onto the sandwich. Poseidon kept telling me to pile on the ham and cheese until I wasn't sure if Percy could fit his mouth around it.

"He's a growing boy, he likes his food," Poseidon said when he saw my raised eyebrow, rolling his eyes. I finished and wrapped Percy's up, then quickly ate mine while I headed out the door.

"Just go around the barn to the paddock and follow the fence, you'll find him soon," Poseidon told me, his mouth half full of a turkey sandwich.

It was even hotter out now, the sun beating harshly down. The big barn doors were slid open, revealing a long line of stalls, most of them empty. I wanted to go and see the horses, but I knew I better get Percy his lunch, so I trudged on. My boots made muted thumps as I traveled down the paddock fence, the horses inside looking up to see me while chewing on their own meals. There were a lot of horses, all of them well groomed and fit. I spotted two foals running around gaily, their energy high like toddlers after candy. Farther down, away from the bulk of the horses, I saw a lone horse. It was all black, tall, and looked like a knight's steed—majestic and dark. It was eating placidly at the moment in front of the fence, and the fence was shaking as Percy pulled and twisted on the pole, tightening the wires.

The black-haired boy looked up when I came over. I held out the meal. "Here's your blue lunch."

He grinned. "The best lunch there is." He accepted the sandwich, water bottle, and the chocolate bar I had snatched for him, dropping the pliers onto the grass. There was a grass walkway—big enough for a four-wheeler—between the fence and the forest. On the outskirts of the forest laid an old tree stump, and Percy went to sit on it. He lifted his hat to run a hand across his forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat collecting there. His hair, despite being in a hat and sweaty, still looked extremely adorable. I had a sudden urge to run my hand through his messy locks, feel the strands underneath my fingers and see if they were as silky as they looked.

I switched my eyes quickly, looking instead at the horse beside us, it's color matching Percy's hair. The male horse watched me through dark, thoughtful eyes, a lock of black hair falling down his forehead. He had no markings whatsoever—no stars or socks or stockings. He was just pitch black, like twilight on a moonless night.

"Who's this guy?" I asked, walking a bit closer.

Behind me, Percy swallowed the large bite of food he had taken. "That's Blackjack. Be careful, he doesn't like everybody."

I put my hand out, ignoring Percy's warning. Blackjack studied me for a moment, then trotted up, butting my hand to make me pet his nose. "Hey, Blackjack," I said, feeling the soft fur. I brought my other hand up, stroking his muscled neck. I glanced over my shoulder at Percy. "Why isn't he with the other horses?"

"He kind of follows me around," he answered, smiling. "I found him when he was just about a year old, and he wasn't being treated very nicely by his owner. I felt bad for him, so my dad bought him for me and brought him to the ranch. Ever since then, Blackjack never leaves my side. He makes a great riding horse, too."

I listened to Percy's story, still running my hand down Blackjack's neck. "He's beautiful."

I heard Percy chuckle. "And he knows it, that arrogant animal. He can get pretty feisty and obstinate."

Blackjack snorted and tossed his head. I could almost see the his indignant response in the action, and Percy smiled at his horse.

"He knows it's true. I think the the motive of half of what he does is just to spite me."

I laughed at Percy's statement, turning to ask him a question when I saw he was drinking from his water bottle. That was all that was left. "You finished already? That was fast."

He shrugged. "I was hungry. Thanks for bringing it, by the way."

"You're welcome," I replied, then asked, "Can I see the other horses?"

He glanced at the fence that needed to be fixed, but then lifted a shoulder and said, "Why not?" I smiled at him, and Percy stood up and started walking down the paddock fence to the nearest gate. I trekked at his side, watching the horses inside. The sun made their coats gleam, and they looked peaceful but strong and stern, almost like a quiet, protective father. Just looking at them, they looked nice and friendly, but you knew they were formidable and could do a lot if you messed with them in the wrong way.

Blackjack trotted along the fence by us as we walked, tossing his head and hopping around.

We reached the gate and Percy unmatched it, swinging it inward and waiting for me to come in before shutting it. The grass was taller here by the gate, not yet eaten down by the horses. Percy slid the chain on the gate around the post, securing it, then started walking toward the herd of horses, beckoning me to follow.

As we neared, heads came up to watch us, jaws chomping on grass. I reached my hand out slowly to the first horse, feeling his stomach before walking farther along to his head. He stopped eating, letting me pet him.

"That's Porkpie," Percy said. He was standing behind me, Blackjack beside him. Percy's hand came up to scratch the horse's forehead almost absentmindedly. My eye caught an animal that stood out, mooing at the edge of the herd. Yes, that's right. _Mooing_.

"Um, a cow?" I asked, pointing to the cattle standing with the horses, his black coat bony and his big brown eyes studying me.

"Yeah, we found him at a rescue center when he was just a calf and brought him back, or else he was heading to the butcher even at that age," Percy explained. "I named him Bessie." At my arched eyebrow, he threw out a hand in defense. "I was, like, ten—I didn't know the gender, and I bet I wouldn't have cared anyway."

I laughed, making my way to the middle of the herd, and soon there were plenty of horses inching curiously closer to me, reaching out and wanting to be pet as well. I laughed, trying to give them all attention, greeting them like newfound friends. This was amazing. If I just got to be with these horses all summer long, it would be one of the best summers ever.

Percy watched me with a small smile on his face as he saw my obvious happiness. "Have you been around horses before?"

I shook my head, my hand falling down a tawny colored horse's neck. "Not really."

"Why not?" he asked. "I mean, you're kind of like a big actress, you could do what you want. I'm sure you could buy quite a few stables, too."

I grinned at him over a horse. "I can do what I want, only if my mom says its okay. She keeps me pretty corralled under her watch. So every once in a while a movie I'm in will do something with horses, but it's always brief and isn't much. I've always wanted a horse, but my mom thinks it will distract me, and she said I should focus on my job. So that's a big reason why I want to get the part in this upcoming movie. It's all about horses."

He nodded thoughtfully. "And the other reasons you want to get into the movie?"

I bit my lip, feeling my cheeks heat up slightly. "Oh, just sounds cool and it's probably going to be popular."

He raised an eyebrow. "Nothing to do with the main actor, though, right? What's his name—Duke Kellen?"

"Luke Castellan," I corrected him quickly—too quickly—then blushed again as I saw him smile amusedly.

"Nothing to do with him, huh?"

I sighed. "Okay, maybe I kind of want to work with him, too."

"Does the big movie star have a crush?" he teased, still petting Blackjack.

"Oh, shut up," I grumbled, cursing the fact that my light cheeks showed color so well. "I _am_ a teenage girl, you know. It's normal to have a crush."

He grinned, and I couldn't help but smile as well. Percy was fun when you got a little more comfortable. Maybe he and I could become friends like Poseidon said.

"So when will my first lesson be?" I asked.

"Well, one of the lessons would be to get relaxed around horses, and have them be at ease with you, too," he said. He walked up to stand next to me, gesturing to the horses surrounding us and butting their heads affectionately against me. "But it looks like you already passed that test." I chuckled.

"But we'll have you on a horse soon," he reassured me. "After all, you've only got about three months. Don't worry, you'll get to see your Lukey-poo soon."

I scoffed, shoving him lightly in the chest. _Woah, that's a really hard, really toned chest_. That thought chased everything out of my mind, disappearing before I could stop it. I grit my teeth, forcing a glare to appear in my eyes, directed at him while he sniggered at my face.

I groaned. "Just forget I said anything about that."

"Sorry," he said, his tone implying that he wasn't at all sorry. "It's engrained in my brain."

"Great," I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes. Percy laughed, he and I turning to head back to the gate. The horses watched us for a moment, then turned their heads back to the grass. Blackjack walked alongside us, occasionally butting at Percy's shoulder to receive a pet or hug. I smiled as Percy shook his head, casting his eyes skyward and holding out a hand to his horse. They were close, I could tell. I wanted a horse like that. Not for the first time, a inkling of regret creeped into me at starting my career.

I envied Percy; it was true. He could live here with his father and his mom and stepdad in their picture-perfect home on a piece of land that looked like it came out of a fairytale. No fear of being surrounded by crazy, screaming people, or having their every move watched on paparazzi, and if they did one tiny thing wrong, it will be plastered on every single magazine, most likely exaggerated so much it doesn't even connect to what really happened. Even now, my face was on every teen magazine, the press wondering where I had disappeared to for the summer. Their big theory was that I had gone off to the Caribbean Islands to film for an upcoming movie and that Luke Castellan was with me and we were dating. But they also were convinced I was cheating on him.

That is absolutely ridiculous. A time ago, I would've been furious and blown up and yelled at them, but I had learned that wouldn't do much—other than mar my reputation, which I needed to get into new movies. So I just shook my head, took a deep breath, and shrugged the rumors off. I just hoped they wouldn't find me in Colorado. Mom had gone to every effort to make sure I wasn't found, but those reporters were incredibly persistent and sneaky.

I watched Percy's back as he walked a little ahead, laughing as Blackjack almost knocked him over onto the green covered earth. The sheen of sweat covering his body glistened, the clear and bright blue sky blasting heat down to the humans below it.

Everything here was perfect. It was just a normal life, no extra fame or troubles.

It was times like this that I was jealous of people that weren't famous or known world-wide.

They didn't know how easy and nice they had it. They never would until they got a taste of what I had, then they'd maybe regret striving to become famous in the first place.

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**Thanks for reading! Review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Just so you all know, this whole story is from Annabeth's point of view. So keep that in mind, so I won't have to put the POV up on each chapter. Thanks and enjoy! :)**

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"Annabeth, Rachel is stopping by today."

I frowned at Poseidon over the rim of my hot cup of coffee. I was still in my sweats and a t-shirt, just having come down from dragging myself out of bed to find Poseidon eating a bowl of cereal and reading the newspaper. He had pointed me to the coffee, which I gratefully accepted. I loved coffee. It was the equivalent of a drug to me, and I was totally addicted.

"Uh, who's Rachel?" I asked, my hands cupping the mug and warming my fingers. The messy bun resting on my head let a strand of hair fall out onto my face, and I pushed it impatiently back.

Poseidon's eyes came up off the paper, looking at me. "Did Percy not tell you his girlfriend was going to visit?"

"Oh, her," I said, recognition dawning on me. "He told me about her, but he didn't ever get to her name. When's she coming?"

"Probably about in an hour or so. And Annabeth?" I turned a raised eyebrow to him, waiting for him to finish. "Percy told her who you are. I think she'll be fine, don't worry."

"It's okay," I assured him. "I trust you guys to tell who you think should know and everything."

He nodded. "Jason and Leo—they're two of Percy's friends—are coming too. They're completely trustworthy, we've known them since Percy was a just a little kid with a runaway temper and big baby cheeks. He was adorable."

A laugh was torn from me, ringing high as someone behind us said in an affronted tone, "I was not _adorable. _I was hot, even at that age."

I turned to see Percy walking up, settling into a seat beside me. He laid his head down on the counter, looking like he was trying to fall back asleep.

"Yeah, whatever, Perce. Think what you like," Poseidon said with small smirk.

Percy stuck his tongue out at his dad, who stuck his tongue out back, tugging a grin onto my face.

Percy's sweats hung low on his hips, showing me a band of boxers to which I quickly looked away from. His black shirt hugged his body and arms, and his ebony mess of hair floated every way it possible could—but it looked extremely endearing. He smelled strangely like the ocean and fresh air and sleep. I didn't know if sleep had a scent, but if it did, it would be what Percy smelled like right then.

Waking up early and I didn't really get along—but if he managed to roll out of bed looking like this everyday before he headed out to do chores, he might make me wake up at first light just to see him.

He noticed I was staring and said, "What? Transfixed by my sexiness?"

I decided to _not _tell him the truth and said, "No."

"Oh, I'm sorry—you were in awe of my amazing outward appearance."

"Gods, get over yourself," I said, swatting his shoulder before getting up to go get myself a bowl of cereal.

He chuckled behind me, and I felt happy at this little playful banter. We were getting more comfortable around each other, acting like friends on the second day. Maybe by the end of the trip we'd be best friends.

"It's the right cupboard," Percy directed me, "and can you grab me the Trix, please?"

I scoffed. "You've got legs, boy. Use 'em."

He pouted, sticking his upper lip out. I immediately braced myself against any thoughts of mine that might come up at that, stopping them before they could overtake my mind. The only little one that got through was that he looked like a cute, baby seal—pouting like that with his green eyes big and round.

"Please? My legs aren't working," he said.

"Oh, is that it?" I asked sardonically, and he tried and failed to hide his smirk.

"Yep. Just staring at you makes my legs turn to jelly," he said, his smirk growing.

I rolled my eyes as Poseidon guffawed, choking on his beverage.

"You're such an idiot," I muttered, grabbing the Twix as well as the Cocoa Puffs and walking back to the counter. Percy grinned in gratitude, getting up to grab some bowls.

I snorted. "Yeah, you're legs don't work, huh?"

He smiled at me over his should, lopsided with dimples.

"Percy, Rachel should be here soon. She can't stay for too long, though."

Percy paused, turning to his dad. "Oh, yeah. I kinda forgot. Whoops."

"How do you forget about your girlfriend?"

Percy scratched the back of his head uncertainly, shrugging. "I don't know. Are Jason and Leo coming too?"

When Poseidon nodded, Percy grabbed two spoons and brought them over to me. I thanked him, catching the milk that Poseidon slid over. When Percy poured his cereal, I saw that every single grain was blue.

My eyes narrowed. "How on earth did you manage to get all blue Twix?"

Percy smiled, saying, "Dad just pays the store a little more. Plus, here, everybody knows everybody. A lot of them know dad and I, and they like us enough to get us blue food."

"They don't think it's . . . I don't know—weird?"

He lifted a shoulder. "Nah, they're used to it."

"They know he's a bit mental, so that explains it," Poseidon told me. I giggled, and Percy turned to his dad with a glower.

"Runs in the family, right?"

Poseidon looked astonishingly at his son. "How dare you talk about your mother like that, Percy!"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Yeah,_ that's_ who I was talking about."

I ate my breakfast, watching the two bicker back and forth with mirth. Their easygoing relationship with each other made jealousy creep up once more. I mean, my dad and I were on good terms, but I almost never saw him, so it was kind of awkward and quiet whenever we met up.

I excused myself to go change into some jeans and a t-shirt, throwing a plaid flannel on over that. I left my messy bun, not really wanting to do anything with my hair. I always thought boys had it way easier—since they didn't have to take care of hair and all. I mean, sure, some guys' hair is longer, but they could just let it go. Look at Percy, for example. He doesn't do anything with his hair that I know of, and it looks downright amazing.

As I was walking back down the stairs, a car pulled up into the driveway.

Percy had gone up to change, so Poseidon went to go greet the newcomers at the front door. I spun my swivel chair around, facing the door.

Three people walked in. My eyes immediately latched onto the girl that must be Percy's girlfriend. Burning, rust colored hair rested in a haze around her head, and freckles adorned her cheeks. Green eyes, the color of spring grass, landed on me. She looked me up and down, taking in my appearance while I did the same to her. She had paint splattered jeans on top of an old t-shirt, and a paintbrush poked out of her back pocket. She would've looked like a nice, fun girl—one I'd want I hang around with—if it weren't for the look of distaste on her countenance as she watched me. She was beautiful in a striking way—she stood out. I went to my feet cautiously, my eyes falling from the girl's to the other two.

A pair of boys stood there. One was Latino, with a mess of curly dark brown hair and a wide smile that looked like he just had five espressos. He was smaller and wiry, and the figure by his side towered over him. The other boy looked like the typical surfer—blond windblown hair and sky blue eyes. He was ruggedly handsome, a small scar on the corner of his mouth shifting as he smiled at me.

"Hi, guys," I said, waving. I was used to meeting new people, but most of the new people I met were fellow actors or big hit music artists and such. They shared my fame, and in that we were equal. But meeting these new kids who lived in a town most everybody hadn't heard of was unnerving. My biggest fear was that they'd hate me for my position, and think I was a stuck-up snob.

But the two boys' smiles were friendly enough.

"This is Annabeth, as you all probably already know," Poseidon said.

The boys chuckled, and the girl just watched me. She seemed to be evaluating me—trying to figure out if I would do something or not.

The blond came up first. "I'm Jason. Nice to meet you," he said, formally holding out his hand. He had a polite smile on his face. This guy's kinder than most people in Hollywood.

The curly-haired boy was next. He grinned maniacally. "I'm Leo."

For some reason, I just had to smile. I don't know why, but I had a feeling this guy was going to be funny. "Hey, Leo."

Rachel made her way to me on graceful feet, her green eyes making me uncomfortable. She finally smiled, but it looked forced; I could tell by the way that most of the muscles in her face didn't move. She was acting. But acting was my specialty. If she thought she could get past me like this, she was fantastically wrong.

"Hi," she said, her voice sweetly sickening. "I'm Rachel, Percy's girlfriend."

She seemed to stress the words _Percy's girlfriend. _I smiled back, making sure it looked real.

"Hey, happy to meet you," I replied. _Lies. All lies, _I thought evilly.

Rachel looked at me once more, from top to bottom, then inhaled and looked to the stairs. Percy was slumping down in jeans in an old black t-shirt that made his sea-green eyes brighter than ever. He was yawning as he looked at his friends, rubbing his hair. He hadn't done anything to smooth it down, but I was fine with that.

"'Sup, guys." Percy stuck out a hand and waved. Jason and Leo greeted Percy, then went back to talking with Poseidon. I occasionally caught their discreet looks toward me. It was weird. I guess they probably hadn't met many famous people, and now there was a huge celebrity right next to them. I didn't really ever get that feeling—except maybe with, you know, Luke Castellan or Oprah.

"Hey, Rachel. I haven't seen you in a while," Percy continued, tearing me out of my thoughts.

She went up and gave him a hug, oddly fierce and protective. Why she was acting like this, I had not a clue. "Well, that's_ your_ fault. I've asked you constantly if I can come over, and you don't reply, or you make up some excuse." She ran a hand over his hair. "Oh, I wish this would stay down, not be all messy."

He frowned, moving his hair out of her reach. "I reply a lot, and they aren't excuses. They're actually real things."

She raised an eyebrow, her eyes glancing over to me briefly. "Like a new movie star coming to your house to spend the summer with you? You're letting a total stranger in for the _summer_ and you can't find time for me in a_ week_? See a problem, babe?"

I inwardly winced at babe. I hated pet names like that. Nicknames were fine—I even liked nicknames. It gave you a sense of being close with that person. But those pet names, like babe and honey, just didn't do it for me.

If I was correct, I could see Percy's facial features cringe for just a millisecond. He looked over at me, as if realizing that their conversation had careened towards me, and a crash was just waiting to happen with this fuming red-headed bomb.

"Uh, Annabeth?" Percy said, looking around for a distraction. "Why don't you go get changed, we'll get you on a horse today."

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother in telling him I was already changed. Instead, I just nodded slightly, then started upstairs. Rachel watched me go, her eyes glittering, then once I was out of their sight, I could hear their anxious whispers float up. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I bit back my curiosity and trudged onward.

Once in my room, I fell onto my bed, finding the pillows and shoving them under my head. The windows were open, and a slight breeze came through, bringing the crisp draft of spring. It was clean air, unlike city air. The birds were loud, calling out to one another like neighbors. Trees stood side by side, never leaving one another, and standing straight and proud even through the stormy nights.

I wished people had the capacity to do that.

I rolled around on my bed, getting up once to look in the mirror and stick my hair back into a braid, letting it fall a little past my shoulder blades. I had no makeup on, and I wasn't planning on putting any on for a long time. It's not like I could really leave the house—that would put a risk on my freedom from the world of famous people.

Soon, I got bored, and decided it was time to go back downstairs. If Rachel wasn't done talking, oh well. She can finish her words elsewhere, staring at a wall or something.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I heard two people. When I rounded the corner, it appeared as if Jason and Leo had left with Poseidon somewhere, and now only Percy and Rachel stood. Percy was gesturing with his arms, and Rachel was staring obstinately at him, arms crossed and her eyebrow raised.

Stopping, I backed away, staying out of sight but close enough to hear.

"You don't have to worry," Percy was saying exasperatedly. "Gods, shouldn't you trust your boyfriend? I told you her real identity, and we weren't really supposed to do that. She wants to stay secret. Only you and Jason and Leo know. Why don't you trust me?"

"I do," came the terse reply.

I was pretty sure Percy threw his hands up in irritation. "Then what's your problem? I told you, nothing will happen. You're my girlfriend, not Annabeth."

My ears pricked at the sound of my name, and I listened earnestly. "I know that, but does she? I mean, she's kind of pretty and popular and rich. You could fall for her."

Percy sighed, so loudly it was audible from where I stood. "Looks and titles aren't everything, Rachel."

"Well, they sure didn't hurt when you started dating me."

"I didn't date you because of your reputation. I dated you because I liked you. What, did you date me because of my title or my looks or whatever? Did you want to have something just—just show off to your friends like a puppy?" His tone was disgusted.

Unfortunately, Rachel replied a bit too late to be able to convince the whole truth. "No, Percy. You know that. We've been dating for a year and a half. I would've dumped you by now if I just wanted to show you off."

I frowned. Maybe not the best choice of words on her part.

"Oh, that's reassuring," Percy answered, sarcasm oozing from his words.

I figured I had better come out of my hiding spot then, so I made a show of having just appeared there, holding up my hair as if I were fixing it as I walked back down, forcing a yawn.

"Hey, guys," I said nonchalantly. I looked to Percy. "I'm ready when you are."

He smiled at me, tightly but it was genuine. "Okay, we'll go."

"Um, what about me?" Rachel asked.

Percy looked over his shoulder. "Didn't my dad say you had to be at one of your friend's houses?"

"Well, yeah, but I could cancel," she said, her eyes flickering to me and Percy, standing together.

Percy shook his head. "Oh, no, don't do that. I wouldn't want you to ruin your reputation by ditching your friends." I caught the hostility in his tone, and Rachel narrowed her eyes. Then her face cleared, and she walked over to Percy, looking him straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry, Percy," she said. "I didn't mean any of that." She leaned forward, kissing him on the lips.

Now Percy might not have been able to tell, but I could hear her from an actress's ear. She sounded exactly like me when I was practicing my lines and hadn't quite gotten them down yet. My voice was still a little monotone, not quite like I was playing the part right. People maybe could hear that I was acting.

Rachel sounded like that. She wasn't telling the truth. Her apology was spoken like she was reading off of a script. She was good at speaking it—it sounded believable—but when you lived in the world of acting for basically your whole life, and you were considered one of the best actresses in the entire world, you were able to see the difference between heart-spoken apologies and faux, cheesy "I'm sorry"s.

I stood by awkwardly as they embraced. Well, it was more like Rachel went at him while Percy just kissed her lightly, a hand stroking her cheek. After a few seconds, he pulled back, not meeting his girlfriend's eyes. He looked at anything but her—and that "anything" happened to be me. I met his eyes, watching his reaction.

"It's fine, just . . ." he trailed off, taking a deep breath. "It's fine. Now go, before you're late. I'm taking Annabeth to the stables."

Rachel smiled sweetly at him, then left. But behind his back, she sent me a warning death glare, scary enough to make Chuck Norris piddle his pants. But I wouldn't back down. Instead, I just looked at her coolly, keeping my expression neutral but allowing a hint of amusement to peek through. This just made her eyes narrow even more, and she disappeared out the door, walking down the sidewalk to her car. Jason and Leo, who were talking with Percy's dad outside, had apparently ridden with her, for as they saw her walking away, they said goodbye to Poseidon and followed her into her black sports car.

Percy watched her go. I sensed his mood had changed—he wasn't as cheerful, more downcast. He let out a long sigh, then beckoned me forward. We got our boots on, then he held open the door, letting me through before closing it. Poseidon was doing something in the garage, and he waved as we passed. We returned the gesture before continuing onward. I had to take quicker steps to keep up with Percy's long legs, but he didn't slow down. He didn't even seem to know he was walking so fast; his gaze was distant, thoughtful.

My checkered flannel shirt flapped in the slight breeze, and it was colder than yesterday. It seemed the heat wave had passed, and now we were getting just the last bits of the chilly spring.

"You're going on Porkpie," Percy said, bringing me out of my thoughts. We had reached the stable, and a few horses were in the stalls, but most were grazing in the paddock. A head peeked out from between stable bars, whinnying at me slightly before slipping out of sight once more.

The stable was a long barn, with a large walkway down the middle and stalls on either side. In the middle of the barn, there was an entryway that bisected the building, leading to two more doors that went outside. A tack room was situated on the left side close to where we were, and next to that was an office to manage the stable.

Two horses were tied up outside the door in the middle. Porkpie stood peacefully, swatting at flies with his tail, while Blackjack pranced around, neighing when he saw Percy.

A smile adorned Percy's lips when he saw his horse, and he went up to pet him. A saddle was set on the rail the horses were tied to.

"First we have to brush them down, so grab that round brush—called a curry comb—and bring it over here." Percy pointed to a bucket of assorted brushes, and I grabbed the one he had gestured to. He already had one in his hand, since he had a similar bucket by him. I watched as he started rubbing Blackjack's back, going in circles and picking up dirt. I copied his movements, satisfied when I saw the dirt matted into Porkpie's coat flake off.

We got the backs of the horses, and around their stomachs and legs, before moving onto the next brush—this one just pushing all the excess dirt off. Percy worked smoothly, like he did this everyday. Well, he probably did.

"Do you have to take care of all the horses?" I asked whilst smoothing Porkpie's white blond mane. Percy was combing out Blackjack's tail, making it shine in the morning sun.

"Most. Dad helps, and Paul helps sometimes too when he's not working. He's a teacher at a school," Percy explained. "Jason and Leo help too. Jason actually is boarding his horse here, Tempest. Another one of my friends, Hazel, has her horse here too. When they come, they help out with the other horses, too. Rachel comes to ride sometimes."

I nodded, petting Porkpie's forehead. He bumped me with his nose, wanting more attention. I laughed, kissing his golden nose before going up to take the knots out of his hair. I caught Percy smiling at me.

"What?" I asked.

He shook his head quickly, trying to drop his smile. "Nothing, it's just . . . well, it's basically your second day here, and the horses already love you," he said, "and you love the horses."

"You got that right." I grinned at Porkpie who was craning his head around to me. "Who wouldn't love these guys?"

"That's what I thought. But Rachel doesn't really do anything with the horse she rides, she just . . . rides. She even makes me brush and tack the horse."

We stood in silence for a little while, the only sound was the birds and the horses. Then I opened my mouth, closed it, then forced it open again.

"Percy?" He grunted, and I took that as a sign to keep talking. "I know it's probably none of my business, but . . . are you and Rachel okay?"

Percy's hand paused, and he stared at one spot on Blackjack. When his horse snorted in annoyance at the pause in brushing, he continued again. After a little while, he answered. "Yeah—yeah we're fine. We just don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but that's normal, right?"

He sounded like he was asking himself that, so I didn't reply to the question, but kept on talking. "But you guys like each other enough to stay together for a year and a half?"

He nodded. "Yeah, and—wait, how did you know that?"

_Oops. _"Um . . . I—you told me. Yesterday."

Percy frowned, screwing up his face so that it looked kind of funny but somewhat cute. "Did I? Oh. Well, yeah, obviously."

"And you've never noticed . . . anything about her?" I asked, thinking of her fake apology.

Percy looked at me, puzzled. "Like what?"

I did a quick debate in my head: should I or should I not tell him that Rachel was acting during that apology? It might have been a one time thing, but she sounded like she'd rehearsed it. It came out too easily, no ounce of guilt in it.

However, Percy seemed like he was trying to hold onto their relationship, no matter how much it might be unstable. Besides, like I said, it truly wasn't any of my business.

I sighed. "Nothing. Never mind."

His eyebrows drew together, but he shrugged. "Alright, now let's get the saddle on." He tossed the brush back into the bucket, then went to the saddle.

"Are you going to ride?" I asked.

"No, I'm going to supervise."

"Oh, joy," I muttered. Percy let out a laugh, and I was pleased I could make him laugh when he wasn't having such a good morning so far.

"Don't worry, I'm a nice instructor."

I smiled at him. He threw a gray saddle blanket over Porkpie, then beckoned me over. I lifted the saddle, a little surprised by the weight, but I managed to get it over Porkpie's back. Then Percy started instructing me on the saddle. There was the cinch—the strap that went around the horse's stomach—that needed to be tightened, and the breast collar that ran around the front of the horse. Percy put the reins in, letting me watch as he slid the bit neatly into the horses mouth, pulling the rest of the bridle up over the ears of the horse and attaching another strap at the throat.

"This is kind of confusing," I said, watching in a daze.

He grinned lopsidedly, reminding me how nice of a smile his was. "You'll get it, don't worry."

Percy grabbed a brown helmet, bringing it over to me. He plopped it on my head, and it was too big, falling over my eyes. I huffed, pushing it up, only to have it fall back down again.

"It's too big," I told him, hearing his amused chuckle.

"I can see that."

"Well, I can't see anything," I grumbled, pushing the helmet up once more, and holding it there. He was smiling at me, handing me a new helmet. This one fit nicely, and I latched it under my chin as Percy untied Porkpie, giving me the lead rope. Percy walked beside me as we went back into the barn, making our way to the other door that led to a circular area that had wooden fences around it.

"This is the round pen, which is where we are going to start." He opened the door, leading me in. Porkpie followed me diligently, and stood still as we waited for Percy to finish hooking up the door again. I watched the muscles on his back, visible through his taut shirt as he leaned over the gate, shift as he moved. When he turned back around, his intense sea-green eyes latched onto mine.

For a moment, we just stared at each other. I had no idea why, but neither of us moved. We just watched one another—Percy studying my face and me trying to read his. His hair flew a little in the wind, and I wanted to reach out and brush it back. But at the same time, I couldn't move.

Porkpie whinnied impatiently, making both of us jump a little. Percy stammered, "Uh, let's, uh—let's get you on Blackjack—I mean," he shook his head, "Porkpie. Blackjack isn't your horse. Blackjack's my horse. Why would you be riding my horse?" He breathily laughed a little, biting his lip when he noticed he was rambling.

I felt my cheeks heat up a little as I nodded. Percy came over to me, standing close. I could see my reflection in his eyes.

"I'll help you up," he said. My head bobbed again, and he came closer. His fingers came up, brushing a loose strand of blonde hair back behind my ear. The heat in my cheeks flamed up even higher.

He knelt, putting his hands together to form a step. I placed my foot in it, then he heaved up, pushing me onto Porkpie. Once on, I stuck my feet in the stirrups, looking at Percy.

"Alright. Let's start walking in circles around the edges of the fence, I want to check your balance."

So we started, Percy standing in the middle and Porkpie and I circling him. My balance wasn't great; I never had that much of a need for it. Walking was okay, but when we tried trotting, I had to desperately clutch the saddle horn until Percy helped me slow down a bit. I had a lot to learn, I knew.

But I looked at Percy, his green eyes watching me and his muscular form standing straight and tall, a friendly lopsided smile coming onto his face as he noticed me staring.

A few more lessons with Percy teaching me wouldn't be too bad, right? Right.

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**Thanks for reading! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**I answered a few questions and had some chatting at the bottom of this chapter, so look for your username! :)**

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We had a plan to do a lesson at least three times a week, and since I loved the horses so much, we did it three days in a row. My second lesson was learning the ways of the horse—like how to make your horse sidestep or move their back legs and whatnot.

Percy was a good teacher. He was patient and kind, and if I failed (which happened quite a bit) he'd just help me get it right without complaints. By the third lesson, I was able to saddle Porkpie all by myself, and Percy nodded in approval as I did so, slipping Blackjack a sugar cube behind his back.

I was trying to learn how to trot comfortably. Thankfully I hadn't fallen, that would be embarrassing, but there were a few slip-ups that happened, making me have to hang on tight. Porkpie wasn't exactly the smoothest trotter out there. Percy watched me, ready to rush up if I have any problems. His cowboy hat shielded the bright color of his eyes as he looked at me, and I was thankful for that. I didn't need any more distractions.

I was in the midst of my fourth round of trotting when we saw a car pull up to the house. Percy frowned, squinting to try and see who had paid a visit. I glanced over once briefly—but long enough to see a lady step out of the car. She looked to have long brown hair, but she was too faraway to see much else. However, when I switched my eyes to Percy, I saw a smile light up his face.

"It's mom!" he said happily. "She must've gotten back from their trip early. Come on, let's go meet her!"

I slowed down Porkpie, hearing the clip-clops of his hooves become not as frequent. I readied myself to execute a dismount, but Percy wasn't waiting for that. He came up and held out his hands, motioning for me to hurry up. I took my feet out the stirrups, then slid myself sideways. Percy caught me, his hands at my waist. My shirt had drawn up slightly, and I could feel his warm fingertips brush my hip, sending a spike of electricity through my body. A blush creeped up onto my cheeks. It seemed I was blushing a lot around this boy. Percy quickly let me go once he saw.

"Uh, let's go," he said, turning to the gate of the round pen. He unlatched it, shoving it open and waiting for me as I grabbed Porkpie's rein and pulled him out. Porkpie was happy—he thought we were done. Whenever we finished, I would give him a good rub-down, brushing away the saddle marks on his back before placing a bucket of oats in front of his eager face. While I was doing this, Percy would finish a few other chores—feeding some horses hay, bringing some out to the paddock and vice versa, or giving a certain horse a medication for a sore leg or lame hoof; I liked to help him do this. Whatever time I could spend around the equestrians I took heartily.

Our footsteps made muffled thumps in the stable, sounding like four people were there instead of two and a horse. It smelled like horses and sweat and a hint of manure in here. It just smelled like a stable, and I didn't mind it. I secured Porkpie onto the rail, then followed Percy across the lawn to the house, the grass falling prey to our feet pressing it down.

We saw Poseidon talking to Percy's mom, smiling and laughing at some parts. It was cool that they were still friends—it had probably made the divorce easier for Percy. He really didn't seem that sour about it, though, and he appeared to like his stepdad.

The lady saw us as we approached, and Percy rushed up. There was a bone-crushing hug—the crushing being down by his mom. He grinned at her, greeting her warmly and she did the same, looking up at her tall son.

Then her eyes found me over Percy's shoulder. For a second, she frowned in confusion. Then recognition awoke in her eyes, and they widened to the size of a quarter.

"Oh. She's a celebrity," she said.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh. She said it so simply, but with a shocked voice.

Percy smiled, stepping back to give his mom a clear view of me. She stared for a second, then a motherly grin grew on her face, stretching it wide.

"Well, I'm not quite sure what's going on here, but hello. I'm Sally Blofis, Percy's mother." She held out a hand, and I took it, her grip surprisingly strong.

"Annabeth Chase."

"Yeah, I kind of guessed that," she said, winking. I smiled, an instant liking for this lady appearing in me.

I studied her, looking for any sign of Percy in her facial structures. Percy had gotten her deep dimples and the curve of her smile, but that was pretty much it; he just looked a lot like his dad.

"Let's go in and have some lunch, shall we?" Poseidon said, clapping his hands together. "We'll explain a little in there."

We fell into line, me next to Percy behind Poseidon and Mrs. Blofis. Percy was watching his mom with a small smile on his face, and she would glance back and grin at him every once in a while. They were obviously close, and my mind instantly went to my mom and our relationship. But I shoved that away, not letting me think about it at the moment.

"I made sandwiches!" Poseidon said proudly, gesturing to a plate full of bread and meat and cheese when we had entered the house.

Mrs. Blofis rolled her eyes, muttering half-jokingly, "What else do you make?"

"A mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich," Percy offered, defending his dad as we all grabbed a sandwich.

"I thought his pasta wasn't too bad," I commented, finding a ham and swiss sandwich in the stack. Percy had instantly dove for the bluest of them all, and his mom shook her head with a smile overflowing with affection when she saw that.

"Well, that's only because mom made it before she left and he just had to unfreeze it. Otherwise it would've been pretty bad if he had made it," Percy said to me, grinning as Poseidon scoffed, indignant.

"I can still cook," he said.

"Right."

"Well, Percy can't cook to save his life."

Percy sent his eyes skyward, throwing a hand out and replying to his dad. "When would I have to cook to save my life anyways? It's not like if I was going to be in a car crash, I could whip up a burrito and live happily ever after."

Poseidon gave him a hard look, an eyebrow raised. He opened his mouth to reply, but Mrs. Blofis interrupted him. "How about we get to the explaining part of why there's a famous movie star in this kitchen."

Percy and Poseidon both looked at her, then glanced at me. Poseidon cleared his throat, then started to tell her all what had happened in the past month.

Apparently Mr. and Mrs. Blofis had been on a cruise for the last month and a half—which had been during the time when Poseidon and my mom scheduled this stay. So they didn't know anything about it. He told her why I was staying, and for how long, and Percy sat and ate sandwich after sandwich. That boy could eat. I had no idea how he stayed so slim and muscular. If I ate as much as him, I'd look like a giant loaf of bread within a week.

"So, yeah," Poseidon finished. He took a bite of his sandwich, then said, "Percy's giving her lessons."

Sally wrinkled up her nose in disgust at the crumbs Poseidon was spewing from his mouth. "Finish the food in your mouth first," she chastised, sounding like she was talking to a two-year-old.

Poseidon smiled goofily, saying, "Sorry." But he still wasn't done with his food, and he covered his mouth quickly as another crumb fell out. Sally just rolled her eyes. My mind had heard the word "lessons" and I remembered Porkpie sitting outside.

I turned to Percy, but he was following my train of thoughts already. "We better get back outside," the green-eyed boy said to his parents. "Porkpie needs to be unsaddled and I have a few chores to finish up."

Poseidon nodded. "Okay. Oh, and can you bring up the foals from the paddock, it's supposed to storm tomorrow or so, and it's best to get them in before then."

Percy bobbed his head, standing up. I stood too. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Blofis."

She shook her head. "Please, call me Sally. And it's nice to meet you too, Annabeth." She smiled warmly, and I returned it before following Percy out. As we were stepping outside, I heard Sally say to Poseidon, "It is supposed to storm. And pretty badly, if I recall." Percy shut the door, cutting off her words and we walked back up to the stable.

"You're mom's really sweet," I told Percy.

He smiled. "I know, she is. And she makes the best cookies in the world."

I held up a hand. "Wait—let me guess. Blue cookies?"

Percy made a show of being surprised. "How did you know?" I cast my eyes to the heaven, a smile creeping up onto my face. Porkpie was still standing quietly, but when we approached, he nickered in exasperation.

"Sorry, boy," I apologized as I went up to him. Percy disappeared inside the barn to do some chores, and I started untacking Porkpie. As I did so, my mind always returned to Percy and his parents. He was so close to both of them. I was close to my mom, but it was kind of business-close. We never did anything fun. Whenever we went somewhere, it was for my acting career—whether it be a photo shoot or auditioning for a movie. She was so focused on my career. I mean, that was nice, but she was _too_ focused on it. She pushed me constantly, always making sure I was doing something, and sometimes I just needed a little break. But she didn't know me well enough to tell.

"You look like you're thinking deeply," I heard someone say. I turned, seeing Percy smiling at me, hands in his pockets.

"I am," I replied.

"What of?"

"Spaghetti."

He nodded solemnly. "A subject that reacquires a great depth of philosophical meditation."

I snorted, loudly and unladylike, making Percy grin lopsidedly. I was surprised he knew what half those words meant, but I didn't press it. My thoughts returned to what I had truly been thinking of.

I was quiet for just a moment longer, then I decided to tell him. "Just your mom. And my mom."

He dipped his head. "I bet you miss her."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." The truth was, it was nice not having to be bossed and steered around by her. She was so strict. I liked being here, where you really didn't have to do anything but take care of the horses.

Percy frowned in my peripheral vision. "You don't sound so . . . sure."

Sighing, I scratched Porkpie behind his ears, rubbing his back where the saddle had just been.

"We're just . . . not always on good terms. She's just concentrated on my acting career. Too much so. I mean," I hurried on, not wanting to speak too badly of my mother, "a lot of good comes out of that, I guess. I got to come here because she also wants me in that movie." Percy smiled, waiting for me to go on. "I don't know. I'm just jealous of the relationship you have with your mom. I wish my mom and I could be like that."

"Well, surely you and your mom are close," he said. "You probably spend a lot of time together."

I snorted. "Yeah, planning for another movie or reciting lines. She wants me to succeed in everything I do, and I want to impress her. Every time I get the part in a movie or say the lines right, I always look up to her proudly, hoping she'll give me some attention. But she just nods and carries on."

Realizing I was saying more than I had planned, I froze, biting my lip. I felt Percy's eyes on me, but I didn't meet them. He was just watching me thoughtfully.

"I guess that's what you get when you live in the world of fame and popularity. You can't have everything huh?" I said, smiling without humor. "At least I still spend time with my mom. You should see some of the other Hollywood families. I just wish . . . that my family would act more like a_family_. I guess that might not make sense. Here I am, babbling about my family troubles to you and you probably are just wanting me to stop talking."

"No," he said softly. "You're fine. I'm not bothered by you talking. I'm just surprised that you're telling me all of this. I'm not complaining, though."

I frowned. "I am too. Gods, I've known you for not even a week, and I'm already telling you things that I've told to only a handful of people."

He grinned. "Well, I'm much obliged, Miss Chase."

Rolling my eyes with a smile, I replied, "Just don't go telling anybody my secrets."

He held out his hand, his pinky finger sticking out. I grinned, reaching out to grab it with my own.

"Pinky promise," he said softly, looking at me with those sea-green eyes that had captivated my interest from the very start.

He unclasped his finger, letting both our hands fall. It was strange, the thing between us. We had just met, and now we were acting like best friends.

"Now you have to tell me a secret," I said. "To make it even."

He smiled. "Well . . ." He glanced over his shoulder, lowering his voice to a whisper when he saw nobody around us. "I love food."

I gasped, putting a hand over my mouth, saying dramatically, "No way."

He nodded solemnly. "Way." Then he wiggled his eyebrows, pulling a giggle out of me.

"I'm starting to like you, Miss Movie Star."

I raised an eyebrow. "You didn't like me before?"

He shrugged. "I was expecting you to be . . . Well, to put it plainly, kind of haughty and mean. But I've found out you aren't that—rather the opposite. You're a good friend."

My mouth curved. "I'm happy to hear that, but I bet your girlfriend wouldn't be."

He waved a hand, the muscles in his should shifting. "Nah, she'll be fine. She's already jealous anyway."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because you're a beautiful girl who's really famous and you're staying at my house for the whole summer."

Why, hello there, Mr. Blush.

"But I told her you weren't going to be a threat to our relationship, no offense," he continued.

Well, goodbye blush and hello disappointment.

But I brushed that off quickly, mad at myself for being disappointed.

"None taken. Now, should we get the other horses in before the rain?"

He nodded. "Yeah, let's go." We dropped Porkpie off in his stall, pouring a bucket of oats into his feeding trough before heading out to the paddock.

As we walked, I tried to erase every thought about Percy other than just friends thoughts. Until now, I hadn't even really realized I might have been overstepping the "friends" line in my mind, and I retreated hastily, hoping to get back to safety. But obstacles arose, stopping me from retreating. Those obstacles came whenever Percy smiled lopsidedly at me, or when his green eyes latched onto mine with an intense gaze, or when he did something adorably stupid.

_Stop, stop, stop,_ I chanted. He just said he didn't have any thoughts about any of that. _Stop, stop, stop._

Percy directed me to a horse, one I recognized as Guido, and I approached it cautiously, holding out my lead rope. Percy was doing the same to another horse. When I got close enough to touch the painted animal, I stuck out a hand and pet him, hoping to soothe any of his fears.

"Hey, boy," I said softly, slipping the rope around his neck to hold him still. It had taken me a little while to learn how to buckle a lead rope, but I figured out with practice. Slipping the loop around the horse's nose, I pulled it up and brought the strap up around his neck, securing it on the other side. Stepping back in triumph, I bunched up the lead rope in my hand, turning to find Percy waiting for me leading a brown colt.

"Ready?"

I nodded, and together we started bringing the horses back to the stable. We walked in silence, my mind never straying from the conversation we just had, and also dying to know what he was thinking about. The air was pretty cold, the sun had disappeared behind puffy grey clouds. It looked like it was going to rain soon, but I knew it wasn't supposed to start until tomorrow.

We put the horses in the stable, and I asked, "Why do these horses need to go in here?"

"Well, Guido is healing from a lame foot, so we don't want him tromping around in the mud, and Curly, this foal here, isn't super healthy. He gets sick pretty easily. Besides, we're trying to wean him off his mother, so this is a good way to practice."

"The other horses will be fine?"

We hung the lead ropes up on a hook, then headed over to the staircase leading to the attic. I waited at the bottom while he climbed to the top.

"Yeah. If it's pretty much just rain, they'll be okay. Incoming," he warned. A second later, a block of hay fell through a cut out hope in the ceiling leading to the hay loft. I grabbed it, bringing it over to Guido's trough. He nickered in gratitude before burying his muzzle in the food. Percy had already dropped another down, and I took that as well, feeling the prickly straw poking my arms, and dumped it in Porkpie's feeding spot.

After we had fed all the horses in the stable, Percy came down from the top, wiping his hands off. When he saw me, he grinned, then approached. He reached out a hand when he was close and brushed it through my hair, tugging on my low messy bun. I frowned at first, but then I saw hay coming off into his hands.

"Are you sure you fed the horses that hay," he said, "or did you just stick it all in your hair?"

I glared at his amused smirk. "Ha, ha. You're hilarious."

His smirk grew into a smile, and he finished brushing most of the hay out. For a second longer, his hand stayed, cupped around the side of my head, entangled in my soft golden curls. Then he cleared his throat, retracting his hand quickly and shoving it in his pocket.

"Let's get back inside before mom leaves," he told me. I bobbed my head, and he and I started back towards the house.

Sally was just about to go back home, but she had waited for us. She gave Percy a tight hug, saying she'll be back soon to make him some cookies. To say he was happy would've been a total understatement.

Then she gave me a hug. I was surprised at first, but then I caved, wrapping my arms around her too. It was so foreign to me—a motherly hug. Gods know that never happened with my mom. It was always the quick hug—if we even embraced—that really was more instinctual and didn't have much feeling.

Sally leaned back. "It was good to meet you, Annabeth. And I hope to see you here often." She smiled warmly, and I smiled in return.

After waving to Poseidon, her son and me one last time, she exited, heading out the door to her car.

"I'm going to go get changed," I told Percy and his dad. They nodded, and I trudged over to the stairs, stepping up quickly and disappearing in my room. I knew what I had to do to get rid of all these weird thoughts about Percy. I just needed to be reminded about how good-looking my crush is, and all those feelings for another person should vanish.

Jumping onto my bed, I grabbed my iPhone and quickly clicked on photos. I had gotten a picture with Luke at an award ceremony. We had been the ones to win the Best Actor and Actress of the year. Most people said we should be together, that we'd be the perfect match. I didn't argue with that.

I found the picture, me in a long red dress and my hair swept into an elegant bun. My smile was big as I stood next to a man who had his arm around me. I remembered my elation and giddiness just then—partially from winning the award and partially because Luke had his arm around me, which was the dream of almost every girl in America.

I brought my eyes to Luke's face, ready to dismiss and thoughts of Percy. He was in an expensive tux, holding his trophy at his side. Luke was extremely handsome. He was basically perfect, and I wouldn't disagree. Even the thin scar from an accident on set that ran from his mouth to his face didn't mar his looks. Instead it made him seem even hotter. He had blue eyes and a charming smile could take your heart in an instant.

But then my mind did something infuriating. It started comparing.

It began with the smile. Luke's was straight and showed a row of pearly white teeth. Just looking at his smile made you want him. But Percy's smile . . . his lopsided grin made your knees go weak, lightened up your day, and made the butterflies start dancing a jig in your stomach. It wasn't perfect, but the imperfections just made it better.

The eyes. Luke had crisp blue ones that were constantly searching for something, and they could stay concentrated for long. His gaze was shallow yet calculating, as if trying to figure out if you'd be a threat to his position, though sometimes glazed over like he was bore. But Percy's sea-green ones stayed focused on you intently, never taking his gaze off of you when you talked. They lit up when he saw something he loved, like his mom or Blackjack or even good, putting a brightness into his orbs that made me lose my breath.

I didn't even know when I realized that happened to me.

_But stop,_ I told myself.

_Oh, just look at Percy,_ the other part of me whispered persuasively. _He's amazing._

_So is Luke. And No, I can't think like that. I'm staying focused on my career, plus Percy just said nothing's happening._

Stupid other part of me had to contradict. _Do you really think he meant that?_

I sighed loudly, falling back onto my pillows. I heard Percy's loud laughter drift up through the crack under my door. It floated to me, contagious. Soon I was smiling for no apparent reason.

Oh, I'm such an idiot.

I chucked my phone across the room, aiming for a pillow in the corner and making it. Rolling into my side, I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to forget about everything.

But no, my mind just _had_ to conjure up a picture of a lopsided smile and sea-green eyes.

I tried to tell myself that this would just be a week fling or something. Soon I'll go back to Luke. Besides, he has a girlfriend who he seems to want to stay with. I don't want to cause troubles for that, no matter how much of a witch his girlfriend. Might be. Well, I wasn't thinking witch. Something that rhymed with that.

So I just had to lay low, and any weird, uncalled for feelings would fade, and everything would go back to normal.

But at the same time, I wasn't so sure.

Well, this could be an interesting summer.

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**Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews! You are all awesome!**

**Q&amp;A**

Christmascookies26: **Thank you so much, you were the first reviewer! You're amazing, I hope you know that. Plus, thanks for the nice comments about my writing ability! :)**

rocketgod123: **Yeah, I'm trying to get the other ****characters in there, don't worry. :)**

MeganAnnabethJackson: **Yeah, my sisters and I all ride horses, and we have four. So when I was trying to think of a new story, I thought I should maybe do the subject around horses since I know quite a bit about them already. :)**

Valdusanihilate: **Yes, Rachel is a female dog. Agreed. ;)**

Skyline: **I actually do not have any set days for updates. I just update at random, whenever I have a new chapter ready. :)**

Guest: **This is to the guest who noticed I mentioned Divergent in the first chapter… Ily2. You so far have been the only one to notice that and tell me XD I was wondering if most people had just blown it off! :)**

**Thanks for the reviews again, I love you all! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I kind of liked this chapter. Hope you guys do too :)**

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The next day started out sunny. The air was cool and there was a breeze bringing in gusts of air through the windows that caught at my sleeves. The weatherman told us that rain was expected this afternoon, but until twelve, the skies would be okay, just cloudy.

So of course, with the weather being fine and all, I wanted another lesson.

"Please!" I asked Percy for the tenth time. I was already in jeans and a t-shirt, breakfast in my stomach and coffee making it's way down my throat as I sat at the table. Next to me, slumped in the stool in checkered flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top, Percy was eating Honey Nut Cheerios by the pound, trying to ignore me.

"Please," I said again, trying to keep my gaze on his ruffled ebony hair instead of his incredibly toned and tanned arms in full view. I blessed whoever had made guys' workout tanks—they were fabulous.

_Stop, stop, stop,_ I started chanting again, saying those words that now were a regular visitor in my mind.

Percy sighed, but it turned into a yawn. "This was one of the only days I don't have to get up early to do chores. In fact, I don't have to do much all morning, just a few things in the barn."

"All the more reason for a lesson! Then you won't get bored."

"Oh, trust me. I won't get bored."

I raised an eyebrow, one hand on my denim covered hip and the other clutching my coffee mug. My pose was the epitome of obstinacy. "What are you going to do to not get bored?"

"Sleep, woman!" he stated in a voice that implied that this was obvious.

I huffed. "Please, Percy. This will be the last one of the week, I promise. I'll . . ." I paused, searching for something. "I'll get you something. I swear it. Anything within reason."

He narrowed his eyes at me skeptically, not watching where his spoon was going and I saw him dump his Cheerios onto his pants. He cursed as I snickered and rolled my eyes.

"Aren't we supposed to get rain today?" he tried, going over to the sink to grab a washcloth. It lay dejected over the side of the sink, and when he grabbed it, a drip of water flew off of it like a single crystal.

"No," I said. "Well, not until this afternoon. Please?"

He exhaled, staring long and hard at me. "You'll get me something?"

"I swear I will."

Percy was quiet for a moment longer, then he shook his head in defeat. "Whatever. But you owe me."

I squealed in delight, clapping my hands together. A smile grew on his face as he watched me. "Hurry and get dressed, I'll get Porkpie ready!" My voice was excited. He waved a hand, muttering, "Yeah, yeah."

I rushed out of the house, the humidity hitting me like a physical blow. The sky had spat a little last night, but the majority of the storm was today. My feet drummed against the cement and then the grass as I made my way to the stale. Porkpie was in his stall, eating hay peacefully. I was reluctant to take him from his food, but he didn't seem to mind too much.

Quickly I brushed him down and then went into the tack room. Rows of saddles sat still on the wall in ordered lines like soldiers in formation. I grabbed the one I always used, lugging it outside with the bridle hanging off the saddle horn. It smelled like leather in that room, and the scent drifted around towards the office when I passed it.

As I was latching the last strap, I saw Percy come out into the sun, still stretching. He had switched his sweats for jeans and a blue t-shirt that had a slogan, saying in big words "Too Sassy For You."

"Nice shirt," I told him with a smirk, petting Porkpie's neck. "It suits you."

He egoistically flipped his hair in an exaggerated motion. "I know, right," he replied in a fake accented voice. I snorted loudly, and he grinned.

"Well, you got the horse all ready." He gestured to the paddock. "Let's go."

He started off towards the paddock, strutting like he owned the world, but I hesitated. "There? I've never been in there. I've always been in the round pen."

Looking over his shoulder, he smiled, the curves of his mouth slightly derisive. "Having doubts about your lesson today, Chase? Too scared to go in the big pen?"

I scowled at him, turning the leather reins over in my hand. "In your dreams, Jackson. I've just never been somewhere that big."

He sighed turning to face me and dropping the super cool mojo act. "You'll be fine."

"But what if . . . like, the horse gets away from me?"

"Well, I hope you'll be on the horse, so that's not a problem."

"That's not what I meant, Percy," I said in exasperation to his grinning face. "What if I can't control Porkpie? You know I'm not that good of a rider."

He spread his hands out. "And that's why you need to learn. In the paddock. Let's go, slacker." Pivoting in his heel, he started back towards the paddock gate. I took a deep breath, shook my head, then followed him.

"Soon we'll go on trail rides," Percy called from ahead. "No boundaries whatsoever except the lake on the far side of our property. You could take a swim if you wanted."

"Great. I'm trembling in anticipation."

I heard Percy chuckle up ahead as we reached the paddock. The hard-packed dirt in the entryway sent up muffled thumps. It was a good thing it hadn't rained too much, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to ride. Once we were inside, I put my foot in the stirrup, grabbing the saddle horn and reins in one hand and pulling myself onto the horse. I felt a burst of triumph go through me. I always loved doing that, it just made me feel like a real cowgirl—even though the gods know that my mother would never let that happen.

Percy turned around, then pointed to a post at the far end of the paddock. "Bring him over there, stop him, do two tight circles to the left then repeat that going to the right, then trot back here." I nodded, following his precise instructions. Porkpie's head bobbed as we walked to the other side. A few horses were farther down next to the woods, and some looked up skeptically; then they put their heads back down, wanting to eat. I felt tall on Porkpie, the way someone might feel when they've gone up on a ferris wheel. Like you ruled the world from up there. On Porkpie, it was just a subdued version of that, but it still made me feel elated.

We reached the post Percy had chosen, and I brought my hand out in an arc, making Porkpie turn in a small circle. His back feet mostly stayed planted in the dirt as his front hooves criss-crossed over each other. I did the same thing after two turns, to the right this time, before straightening him out and facing Percy again. I took a deep breath, then tapped my booted-heels into Porkpie's sides. I held on for the little hop the horse always did before taking off in a bouncy and brisk trot. My head bounced, and I felt as if I were in a car that was going over a thousand potholes in the rode. I had no idea how some people looked like they were completely comfortable up on a trotting horse. I mean, when Percy trotted on Blackjack, or even cantered or galloped, he looked like he was born to do it. It really wasn't fair.

Percy was trying and failing to conceal an amused smile as he watched me trot with a grimace that was going up and down with the horse.

"Oh, shut up," I grumbled when I got close enough to him.

He smirked. "Just relax. You'll do better."

I sighed angrily. "I'm _trying_. I just can't do it. How do you relax while you're horse is jumping around like an energetic three-year-old?"

"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "I just do."

Narrowing my eyes, I replied sarcastically, "Oh, that's a great answer. Does anybody other than you know how to trot properly?" My voice was half-mocking.

"Rachel does fine," he said.

Oh, that was _not_ what I wanted to hear. I chewed the interior of my lip to make sure I didn't retort with what I wanted to say, which would not be very kid-friendly. With a long exhalation of irritation, I whipped Porkpie back around, going back to the post.

"She was just so happy to do this lesson," I heard Percy mutter to himself. "Someone had a mood swing."

Yeah, because that's going to help.

As I rode as smoothly as I possibly could, I grumbled to myself. "Stupid trotting. Stupid Rachel being able to ride. Stupid Percy laughing at me."

When I made it back around to where Percy was waiting, I felt a drop of water hit my arm. I glanced up at the cloudy and gloomy sky. It wasn't supposed to rain until this afternoon.

"Okay, go to the group of horses and make it back. Porkpie probably won't want to leave the herd, so it will exercise your control."

I didn't acknowledge him, but steered Porkpie in that direction. It was true—Porkpie wasn't very fond of the idea of leaving the horses once he was in their midst. He nickered and attempted to turn around, but I forced him forward.

I was halfway to Percy, feeling pretty good, when a light blinked on and off above me, like the camera of the sky letting out a flash. There was a slight pause, then thunder crashed right above us with bone-jarring force.

Porkpie—who was already skittish—half-reared and bolted, heading back towards the gate and after that—home. I let out a shriek, panic rising in me as I abandoned the reins and grabbed the saddle horn with all the strength I had, struggling to stay on. I faintly heard Percy shout my name, and out of the corner of my eye, he took off running. He was close enough to the gate that he made it before Porkpie, holding his hands up in a big motion and blocking Porkpie from running into him. The horse skidded to a stop, sides heaving with fearful breaths. I could see the whites of his eyes. He pranced around, me still holding on tightly.

Percy leapt forward and grabbed the dangling reins, brushing a hand over Porkpie's neck.

"Shh," he said soothingly, and slowly Porkpie calmed, letting me dismount off of him. I stumbled down from the horse, panting heavily. My knees almost collapsed under me, but I forced them upright, and Percy put a steadying hand to help me. My heart pounded in my throat, sounding like a drummer setting out a beat on the fastest tempo available.

"You okay?" Percy asked desperately.

My head jerked over to him. I felt my cheeks heat up. Gods, that was embarrassing—I just looked like a totally inexperienced rider.

Okay, I _was_ a totally inexperienced rider, but it was still humiliating. If you hadn't guessed so far, my pride has always been one of my downfalls.

"I _told _you I shouldn't have gone in the paddock!" I said, my voice coming out more cruelly than I meant. "I'm not ready yet!"

Percy released his hold on me. "I'm sorry. I thought you would like a challenge."

"Well, I'd prefer a challenge that couldn't kill me, thank you very much," I spat back. Then I bit my lip, knowing I was overreacting, but not able to help it.

I could tell Percy was about to retaliate with his own answer, but he stopped himself, his fist clenching. Still breathing hard, my hand shot out and I yanked Porkpie's reins from Percy's grasp, turning the horse to the gate. A fat drop of water landed on my nose, and I wiped it impatiently away. I shoved the gate open, leading Porkpie through. Percy came behind us, still quiet. An ounce of regret started weighing on my chest, but I pushed forward into the stable, not looking at the green-eyed boy. Rain was starting to fall more frequently, and soon it was pouring. Porkpie snorted, and I rushed us both into the dry stable.

The rain made a steady beat on the roof, like pebbles dropping onto the concrete. I chucked my helmet off my head, running a hand through my messy hair before tying Porkpie and undoing the straps around his stomach. In my peripheral vision, I saw Percy make his way into the tack room, emerging with the bucket of brushes I use. He dropped it next to me with a plop, and I muttered a reluctant, "Thank you." He nodded shortly, then started walking to the door. I watched as he disappeared outside for a moment, then returned quickly with a wheelbarrow and a pitchfork. He started at one of the stalls as I finished rubbing Porkpie down.

I left Porkpie there for a moment as I went up to the hay loft. I climbed the steep stairs up, facing the countless bales of hay. They were pretty heavy, but I managed to toss a few down the hole onto the ground below. Percy was still scooping in an empty stall as I went back down, and he barely even looked at me as I started dividing the hay into even piles, bringing them to the stalls that had horses.

As I put hay in Porkpie's stall, I realized that it, too, needed to be cleaned. I sighed, patting the horse's neck before cautiously approaching Percy. He was done with the stall, and he brought the wheelbarrow out to dump it. I waited for him to reappear, the smell of manure and horses surrounding me. When he came back and saw that I was waiting, he raised an eyebrow.

"Porkpie's stall needs to be cleaned," I said. "I can do it, if you want a break." My words were tense, seeing as I still wasn't exactly easy around him at the moment.

He nodded, handing me the wheelbarrow. I took it, feeling the rough wood beneath my hands as I wheeled it over to Porkpie's stall. I entered, Porkpie watching me through the bars as I took a pitchfork and started shoveling the piles of excretion into the wheelbarrow. The rain still beat down, pouring in heavy amounts. Every once in a while thunder sounded overhead, the flashes preceding that lighting up the day. It was a pretty bad storm. Or, at least, it seemed that way to me. It never stormed that much in San Francisco, so I was unused to the violent thunder and pelting drops of water.

I worked in silence, not looking at where Percy might be. My hair was coming out of my ponytail in frizzy curls, the humidity not helping me much. I had let Porkpie wait next to his trough, so he was chomping steadily, patiently letting me finish.

When I was halfway done, I felt a presence behind me. I whipped around, but calmed down once I found Percy watching me. Turning back around, I started working once more. I treated him like a lot of people treated problems in their lives: ignore it, maybe it will go away. In this case, the "it" was Percy.

But my problem didn't go away.

After a little while, I exhaled harshly, spinning to face him. "Yes? Can I help you?" My words were sarcastic and still not very nice. I struggled to bring my tone down. Percy's sea-green eyes just looked at me in that unnerving way he had.

"You're mad at me."

I gave him a little glare, saying incredulously with a snarky tone, "Really? What makes you think that?"

"Why're you mad?" He sounded sincere, as if he really cared.

"I don't know, maybe the fact that you almost _killed_ me makes me a little angry."

"Well, sorry, I didn't know there was going to be a lightning bolt then."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" he asked. He was better at hiding any annoyance in his tone, which I bet he was feeling.

I took a deep breath. "Never mind." I went back to my task, throwing a shovelful of manure into the wheelbarrow. Then I paused, flipping around to face him once more.

"You-"

He cut me off with an eyebrow raised in amusement. "I thought you just said 'never mind'?"

I opened my mouth, closed it, then narrowed my eyes at him. He looked close to smiling, and I growled, once again going back to my work.

But I hadn't done much before Percy made his way around, standing in my vision.

"I said I was sorry," he said.

I ignored him.

"Sorry?"

Still ignoring.

"You're impossible."

At that I did look up with a sharp look. Upon seeing this, he paled and whimpered in a timid voice, "Please don't kill me. I'm too sassy to die."

Despite everything, that pulled a tiny smile out of me. I tried to turn away, not let him see it.

Didn't work.

"I got you to smile!" he gasped.

Making my mouth straight, I said to him, "No, you didn't."

"I saw it."

"It was a trick of the light."

He paused for a second. "You smiled."

Huffing, I replied, "_No_, I did not." But even as I said that, I felt my mood lighten up. I didn't know why, but as fast as Percy could make me irritated beyond belief, he could make me smile again just as quickly.

"There! You smiled again!"

Oops. "Did not."

"Did too."

"No."

"Yes."

"I did not smile!"

"Oh, you've got a frowny face." He pushed his lower lip out.

"Yes, I have a frowny face. I didn't smile."

"Um, yeah. You did."

This was so pointless. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, you-"

I cut him off by reaching my hand into the wheelbarrow, taking a clump of poop, and chucking it at him. It sailed true, landing right on his chest, falling to the floor. Percy stared for a moment at the brown spot on his Mr. Sassy shirt, then he looked back up at me.

My mouth formed an "O", and I slowly backed away once I saw the evil glint in his eyes.

"Percy, don't do it."

He ignored me, moving faster than I did to grab not just one, but a handful, of freshly scooped turds. He chucked them at me, and I held up an arm, feeling them splatter against my body.

"Oh, no you didn't."

He pursed his lips, saying sassily, "Oh, yes I did, girl." He brought his hand down in a ridiculous "Z" formation. A second later, another handful of poop had been flung by me, this one hitting his face. I doubled over, guffawing at his expression. But that was soon over as I saw him advance once more. I took off, streaking out the stall door and away from Percy, who was trailing me with more manure. Porkpie watched us run, probably thinking how stupid humans were.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Percy bring his arm back and then forward again. Dodging, I watched the manure go by harmlessly. But Percy was still coming after me. Yelping, I went the only place I could go: outside.

Rain fell down on me instantly, like the gods had dumped a bucket of water on my head. I almost slipped on the mud, but I kept running. We had gone out the opposite way of the house, so you couldn't see anything around us except for the forest. Everything was on the other side of the stable.

Thunder boomed overhead as I stooped to grab a handful of the slushy mud. Barely looking back, I threw it behind me. I heard a muffled shout as my mud hit it's mark. Letting out a laugh, I ran behind an old car sitting out there, obviously unused. Weeds had climbed over it, claiming it as one of their own. Rust turned darker in the rain, and as I watched it, a chunk of gooey mud slammed into it, a few inches from my head, flecks of it hitting my face.

I jerked back, looking to see Percy coming forward with a smirk and two hands dripping with chunks of mud. My hand found a clump of mud, and as Percy threw one of his, I ducked, then returned the throw, my water-soaked arm flinging raindrops as it went.

My ball of mud flew past him as he flipped at the last minute. However, before I could try again, a mud ball hit me right below my throat with enough force to drive me back a step. But it didn't hurt—I was too busy laughing my head off.

Percy followed the mud he had just thrown, sprinting toward me intimidatingly. I threw some more mud I had just picked up, watching as he ducked his head and let it hit his mess of hair, turning it from black to brown. He didn't slow down, but crashed into me. I lost my footing, and we both fell.

I hit the ground, but Percy put his arms out so he didn't fall on top of me. His elbows framed my face as he stared down at me with a grin. The pair of green eyes above mine eyes twinkled with mirth as he watched me shriek with laughter and giggles, my arms pinned at my sides.

"There's that smile," he said quietly. He didn't have to speak loud at all, anyways, for me to hear. I realized how close we were, his hot breath warming the tip of my nose. We were pushed together on the wet ground, his legs tangled with mine. It was just us behind the barn, nobody could see us, but it wasn't like we were focusing on our surroundings anyways.

My laughter subsided, but my breath was labored as I was finding it hard to draw and release oxygen. I didn't know if it was from the running or the lack of space between us both.

A raindrop slid down his nose, landing on the space between my nostrils and slightly parted lips. We both just sat there for a moment, his sea-green eyes unreadable.

Then he rolled to the side, and suddenly I found I could breath again. I took a gulp of air, letting it seep into my body and around my pounding heart. The rain was once blocked by Percy's body, but I could feel the little circles of coldness hitting me once more. It was getting chilly, I noticed as I dragged myself into a sitting position. Percy reached out a hand, and I took it. He pulled me up with enough strength to make me almost crash into him, but he stopped me, putting his hand on my other arm.

He looked at my face, then smiled, a hand coming up to wipe some mud away from my cheek. The rain was rapidly cleaning us, but we were still really dirty. I glared at him, then did the same to him, but shoved the clump off of his hair instead. He chuckled, letting go of me, turning back to the stables. I glanced back, seeing the indent on the grass where we just were.

My first thought was, _Woah, what just happened._ Then the following trio which had been going through my mind a lot lately sounded. _Stop, stop, stop._

My gaze found Percy, his broad form walking back to the building, out of the rain. I started following him when he glanced back to see where I was, my feet doddering along on the mushy ground. Lightning lit up the sky, webbing across the clouds faster than the arc of a sword being slashed down. I winced, not expecting it, and quickened my pace.

It was getting colder, now that my adrenaline was down again. Once I reached the safety of the stables, however, I regretted going back in. The rain was seemingly warm on me now, and as my skin met dry air, it got colder.

I felt goosebumps rising as I walked over to Porkpie, untying the patient horse and leading him into his newly cleaned stall. Or, three-quarters cleaned. Good enough.

Grabbing the wheelbarrow, I brought it out into the passageway. Horses whinnied, and one of them kicked the stall walls when another lightning bolt crashed overhead.

Percy was somewhere around here, but I couldn't see him at the moment. Abandoning the wheelbarrow by the door, hands shaking from the cold, I was about to turn around when I felt a pressure on my shoulders. My neck craned, and I saw Percy standing there putting a zip-up jacket around me.

"Thanks, Percy," I managed to say through my chattering teeth. He nodded, smiling. He had a jacket on too, a faded Old Navy. Mine was grey, my favorite color, though I doubt he knew that. "And . . ." I trailed off, chewing my lip. "I'm sorry. For getting so mad at you. I didn't mean it, I was just overreacting."

He shrugged. "It's fine. Besides, I got you back good with that mud." He and I had changed direction, and now we were heading back outside into the house.

I rolled my eyes. "No, I clearly won that fight."

"Ha, right. Something like that."

My face turned to him in a glower, but I could feel a smile prickling at the edges of my mouth. He grinned at me.

"I still have to get you something for doing the lesson with me," I reminded him. He waved a hand out.

"Nah," he said. Then he elaborated at my incredulous look. "It wasn't too bad, I had fun. Well, except for the part where you almost died."

"Yeah, thanks to the lightning bolt."

"No, I was thinking more of like my throw that hit next to your throat. My strength is so vast, it's a wonder it didn't kill you."

I face-palmed, shaking my head while Percy snickered. Hiding my smile, I turned back to him. His shirt was so dirty under the coat, and I knew mine was the same. I sniggered when I saw the first "s" on the word Sassy was covered up.

He poked my arm. "Race you back, on three?" When I nodded, he started counting. "One—"

I took off, my feet digging into the ground as I ran as fast as I could for the big white house.

Percy shouted indignantly behind me, but I just laughed and kept running, planning on beating him and shoving it in his face.

Percy was laughing as well, I could hear it coming up to my ears, and I could picture his eyes sparkling with his laughter. My mind shot back to us having the mud fight, then him crashing into me. His eyes staring right down into mine, which weren't very far away. If I had just leaned up a bit, I could've kissed him. But that was a ridiculous thought—why would I do that? I wouldn't want to do that.

Right?

Well, this whole ignoring-Percy-until-the-uncalled-feelings-go-away thing wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Also, I've had a reader ask me to do a Percy POV, but I'm sorry, I'm just going to stick with Annabeth. That's what I planned, and I've got the whole story planned out so far, so I'd have to change A LOT. Sorry!**

**Q&amp;A and the talks**

rocketgod123: **I like Rachel, but she's just being jealous. I mean, who wouldn't be? It's pretty obvious Percy and Annabeth belong together. :)**

INeedAUsername8: **Aww, thanks again! :)**

LucyTheCrazyUnicorn: **Don't worry, I'm evil too. I want the same thing. ;)**

**Thanks and please review! Feel free to ask questions or leave suggestions, I'll probably answer them in the next chapter! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**The longest chapter so far! :)**

* * *

You know what feels awesome when you're drenched with freezing rainwater and mud and manure? A hot shower. I loved it.

However, it didn't turn out to be as spectacular as I had planned. I was in the midst of rinsing out the shampoo in my blonde hair, feeling the hot water run down me and warming my bones, when I saw something in the corner of my eye. My hands froze, and my head whipped around, praying with all my might that what I saw was not what I thought it was.

Unfortunately, the fates weren't on my side. My eyes landed on a furry, eight-legged creature, the size of my big toe. It was about a foot away from my elbow, menacingly still.

If you don't know anything about me, at least know that spiders are my worst fear. The _worst_. I hate them, and I was convinced they hated me as well.

Letting out an ear-piercing scream, I stumbled back on shaky legs, almost falling out of the shower. My hands flailed as I tried to find balance, stepping out and getting tangled in the shower curtain. I shoved it off of me, grabbing a towel and quickly wrapping myself in it, still staring at the arachnid. It hadn't moved. _It's going to kill me._

I was still gaping in horror at it, up against the opposite wall as far away as I possibly could be, when I heard a pounding at the door. Apparently my scream hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Annabeth?" Percy's voice sounded worried. "Annabeth, are you okay? What happened? Let me in!"

Wordlessly, I reached out and undid the lock with the hand that wasn't holding the towel around me. Percy burst through the door and took in the scene with one glance.

"What's the matter?" he asked frantically. "Why'd you scream?"

I pointed to the shower, the water still running, managing to croak out a stammered word. "Sp-spider!"

He raised an eyebrow, then followed my finger to the shower. Walking over, he shut off the running water, then peered into it. Reaching back, he grabbed a piece of toilet paper, then disappeared behind the shower curtain. I waited with my breath held. In the foggy mirror, I could see my room through the open door, and a blast of cooler fresh air flew into the humid bathroom, making me shiver. I heard a smack, then Percy emerged, holding the toilet paper folded in his hand. He walked over to me, an amused smirk on his face.

"No, stop it, Percy," I said, backing up as far as I could, flattening myself against the wall as he approached.

"It's just a spider."

"I _hate _spiders. Get it away."

He shook his head, but he stepped away, throwing the crushed spider into the small trashcan next to the sink.

I let out a huge breath, water dripping from my hair onto my hand. Percy turned around to look at me. "Scared of spiders?"

Narrowing my eyes, I said threateningly, "Something wrong with that?"

He held up his hands in defense. "No, no—nothing wrong. But I would just never think of you as scared of spiders."

"And why would that be?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, you're just so . . . scary. Like, your glare could make a lot of people wet their pants. I wouldn't believe you to be scared of harmless spiders."

"They're not harmless!"

"Well, maybe in, like, Africa or Asia they aren't."

I rolled my eyes, then went into lecture mode, telling him about the many spiders in America that were poisonous, and that they could easily be here. However, I noticed he wasn't really soaking it all in as I gabbed away.

Sighing, I said angrily, "You aren't paying attention to me, are you?"

But I found he was paying attention to me, just not to my talking. He proved it when I saw his eyes flicker down a little, then back up to my face.

I glanced down, seeing that my towel had ridden pretty low. Scoffing, I pulled it up, then glowered at him, my cheeks reddening quickly. "You pervert! Get out of my bathroom."

He spread his hands out wide, his jaw dropped. "What did I do?"

"You looked!"

"Well, _sorry_! I can't change the fact that I'm a teenage boy!"

My face felt hot as I swatted his shoulder and pushed him towards the door. He snickered as he let himself get ushered out. He was in my room, and I was just about to slam the door shut, keeping a careful hold on my towel, when he said, "Wait!"

I paused, looking through a slit of the open door to him skeptically. "What?"

He motioned to his head. "You've got shampoo in your hair."

My eyes went skyward. "Nice observation, Sherlock," I said sarcastically. "It might be, you know, because I was in the middle of my shower!"

"Oh, good thing," he said. "You stunk pretty badly."

I let out a growl, then threw the door shut, hearing his sniggers behind the closed block of wood.

"I was joking, Annabeth!"

"Go away, let me finish my shower!"

My ear pressed to the door, I heard him retreat, muttering to himself about how girls "couldn't take a joke." I exhaled, going back to my shower. Hesitating, I peeked into it, looking for any sign of another spider. When I didn't see anything, my hand reached out and turned the knob, making the water spout out again. I stepped in.

I'm pretty sure I set a record for finishing a shower. I didn't want to spend a second longer than I had to in there with the threat of spiders hanging around. Changing quickly into a pair of leggings and a green shirt, I sprinted out of the bathroom into the safety of my room. I shuddered at the memory as I threw my dirty clothes onto my bed then headed out into the hall. Someone was moving downstairs, clanging around plates. Faintly I could hear the rain pounding relentlessly overhead, and thunder booming in the background. Quickening my footsteps, I practically jumped down the stairs into the kitchen. That spider made me jittery.

Yes, I was that afraid of spiders. Just imagine your worst fear coming to life, and multiply the mind-numbing terror by a hundred. Then you'll get an inkling of what I feel every time I see a spider.

Percy was eating out of a bag of potato chips (yes—they were blue). He had just been on the phone, for he lowered it as I entered.

I almost moved my hand to cover my chest, but I forced that down. I was wearing clothes now.

"Where's your dad?" I asked suddenly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Hello to you, too." When I sent him a look, he just grinned goofily, making my heart skip a beat. "He went straight from town to my mom's. Her and Paul's dog is pregnant, and she's giving birth right now, so my dad's helping them."

Nodding, I glanced at the time, surprised to see it read four o'clock. "Woah, it's later than I thought!"

"Well, we did have that mud fight," he said, adding in a quieter voice, "that I won."

A glare was sent his way, then I said randomly, "Do you guys have puzzles?"

"Those things of the devil?" Percy replied, his nose wrinkling. "Yes."

I raised my brow, then queried, "Where?"

He let out an exaggerated sigh at having to get up off his butt. I rolled my eyes, following him as he led me down the hallway to a closet. Yanking it open, he gestured to them with his arms, and I nodded my thanks. He trudged back to his potato chips while I studied the puzzles.

Despite Percy's apparent hatred for puzzles, he and his dad appeared to have quite a few. There were two hundred piece ones, three hundred, and I even saw a puzzle that had a thousand puzzle pieces.

I settled on a three hundred piece puzzle with a picture of the Greek gods. Pulling it carefully out of the tightly stacked closet, making sure none of the others would fall, I went back into the kitchen.

"Come on, Percy," I told him without stopping my footsteps. "We're doing this puzzle in the living room."

"Uh, excuse me?" he asked. "I don't do puzzles, madam."

"Well, you do now. Let's go, slacker!" I called using the same word he used on me when I didn't want to go in the paddock. He rolled his eyes, grumbling, then grabbed his chips an followed me dejectedly, holding the bag of food like a child would hold their favorite stuffed animal. I smiled, shaking my head before sticking the puzzle on the small coffee table, then pouring out the pieces. Instantly, I started to divide the edge pieces with the middle pieces.

"What're you doing?"

I looked at Percy. "A puzzle. Duh."

His green eyes went to the ceiling. "No, what are you doing with the pieces."

"I'm separating them. It makes it easier."

He looked at me like I was from another planet. I sighed, then said, "Why don't you find all the red ones and put them in this pile. We'll need that for Ares."

Placing the bag of potato chips at his side, he started sifting through the multiple pieces, putting some in a different pile.

Even though it was mid-afternoon, it was considerably dark. The light above us supplied some contrast to the darkness, but the lightning still lit up the room like a firework. Whenever thunder crashed, I tried not to jump. Rain pounded at the walls and windows, and in the silence of the room, it seemed deafening.

I saw Percy pick up a piece and move it to his pile, which had gotten pretty big. Stopping him, I said, "What are you doing?"

He looked at me. "What you asked me to. Duh."

I scowled at him, but otherwise ignored the gibe. "No, you're supposed to get reds."

He raised his eyebrow. "I know."

"So why in the name of Hades are you putting a pink in your pile?"

Frowning, Percy looked at the piece in his hand. "This is red."

I pursed my lips. "That's pink."

He narrowed his eyes skeptically. "No," he said slowly. I motioned to the light, urging him to look at it closer. He held it up to the bulb above us, squinting and studying.

"Hm," he finally concluded. "You're right. Well," he continued, shrugging as he tossed the piece back, "that means that more than half of this pile is probably pink."

I exhaled impatiently, putting a hand over my face. Hearing a chomping noise, I looked back to see Percy eating his chips again. "What are you doing?"

"Eating. Duh. How many times will we have to go through phrases like this?"

Letting out a little growl, I snatched the bag away from his hand. A pouting look came on his face, and he reached for it. But I held it back farther, shaking my head. He glowered, crossing his arms.

"Don't have a tantrum," I told him in my talking-to-a-toddler voice. Before he could protest, I asked, "Why don't you like puzzles?"

"Because they're confusing!" he said. "And I'm dyslexic."

Rolling my grey eyes, I told him, "Percy, dyslexia doesn't have anything to do with puzzles, it's words. Besides, even if it did, I have dyslexia, and I'm doing fine."

His eyebrows drew together. "You do? But you seem so smart."

"Dyslexia doesn't make you dumb, idiot. You just don't try hard enough."

He held a hand over his heart. "Ouch. That hurts, Wise Girl. That hurts right here." He patted his chest, but I frowned.

"Wise Girl?"

Lifting a shoulder, the boy replied, "Yeah, 'cause you're smart. So I thought it fit."

"Really? That's the best you can come up with? You're brain's full of seaweed." I snapped my fingers. "Seaweed Brain. That fits."

He cast his eyes skyward, then just looked at me. I tried to focus on the puzzle, but I could feel his gaze on me like an intense laser.

Rounding on him, I demanded, "What? Why're you staring?"

He still just watched me with a funny light in his eyes. "It's just so weird. I feel like I know two Annabeth's. One of them is a famous actress, and the other is just a normal teenage girl sitting next to me."

"What?"

"I just can't think of you as a celebrity. It always seems as if celebrities are in a whole different world, and we normal people have our own world, and we don't mix," he told me. "You're a celebrity, but you seem so normal."

"So you said. Is normal Annabeth a bad thing?"

He cocked his head. "I don't think so. I don't know yet—I've only know you for a couple days."

"Around a week," I corrected him. "But I'll be here for the summer."

He feigned dread. "Oh, no, the horror!"

I rolled my eyes, going back to the puzzle.

"Well, just so you know—" he cut off, then said in a panicked voice, "Oh, my gods! There's a huge spider!"

I flipped, letting out a loud scream before scrambling up into a tight ball on the couch, holding my fetal position until I saw Percy. He was laughing. Laughing so hard he couldn't breathe, and he was holding his sides and sputtering for oxygen between his bellows of laughter.

My mouth dropped. There was no spider. I shoved my hand out, punching Percy hard enough in his shoulder that he fell over onto the floor, sprawled out like a spread blanket. He didn't care, he was still laughing.

"That's not funny, Percy," I shouted down at him in an angry voice.

"I'm sorry," he said between breaths, calming down slowly. "I just wanted to see how scared of spiders you actually were."

"Well, did that satisfy you?" I said in a cutting, sarcastic voice.

Percy wiped at his eyes nodding. Then he looked at me, him on the floor and me glaring down at him from the couch. His face split into a lopsided grin. "You should've seen your face . . ."

He drifted off into a fit of giggles once more, climbing back onto the couch.

"Oh, I bet it was _hilarious_." I tried to make my voice angry, but a smile was creeping up on me. I shook my head, going into the kitchen to grab a drink. I could still hear Percy chortling behind me, and my attempt to ignore it failed miserably.

"It really wasn't that funny, Seaweed Brain."

"Yes, it definitely was, Wise Girl," he called back to me. I smiled a little at the nickname. I had a lot of nicknames, and usually I hated them (if you call me "Annie," I will hurt you) but this nickname just made my brain go fuzzy.

"Oh, stop it," I muttered to myself, trying to focus again.

It was darker in the kitchen, the rain pelting the window above the sink and blurring your view of outside—not that you would be able to see anything anyways. When the telephone rang, I jumped about five feet into the air, and I was surprised I didn't drop the glass and have it shatter everywhere. But to my credit, I didn't scream.

Soothing my frantic heart, I went to the house phone.

"It's probably dad," Percy yelled from the other room. "Just pick it up."

I looked at the caller ID and saw that he was right; it read, _Poseidon's Cell._

Clicking the talk button, I held it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Oh, hello, Annabeth. How are you and Percy holding up?"

"Good," I informed him.

"That's good. Well, we just checked, and apparently the weather isn't too good." I glanced out the window once more just as another lightning bolt flashed. It was getting darker rapidly. "Like, not good at all. Bad enough that I won't be able to make it home."

"Oh," I said softly.

"Yeah, I know," he replied. "Normally I would've tried to come home anyways, but Sally absolutely forbade it. So I'm staying here for the night, but can I talk to Percy really quick?"

I complied with his wishes, walking into the room where Percy was eating (surprise surprise). I handed the phone to him, and he greeted his dad into the speaker. I went back to the puzzle, trying to find more edge pieces. All the while, my ear listened to their conversation.

Poseidon's words were quiet in the distance, but I could catch a word every once in a while. I heard "tornado", "basement", and "Annabeth". Tornado? It was that bad?

When Percy hung up, I prodded him for answers. "What was he asking?"

The boy shrugged, standing up. "Just telling me a few things."

"Like?"

"The storm." He started to walk out of the room. I followed him curiously, but paused when I saw he was heading for his boots and coat.

"Where are you going?" I asked warily.

He glanced up at me, sliding his foot into his muck boots. "To check on Blackjack."

My eyebrows rose. "What? No. You can't go out there."

"I just—"

"No," I said firmly. "Your dad can't even _drive _in this weather, so I'm not letting you go outside to the paddock. You're dad wouldn't let you."

He sighed. "No he wouldn't, but Annabeth, I need to. Blackjack is still pretty young, and he gets skittish and runs into things when he's scared. During the last big storm, he ran up against the fence or something out there, and we found him with a gash running up his foreleg. I need to bring him into the stable. I should've thought of that earlier."

I bit my lip. "But it's too dangerous outside."

"I'll be fine. Besides, are you going to stop me?"

Exhaling, I caved. "Fine. But I'm going with you."

He held up his hand. "No. Definitely no. You're staying here, where it's safe."

Throwing my hands up in exasperation, I replied, "I'll be fine!" But he shook his head determinedly.

"You're waiting here. Make me a cup of hot cocoa, though, will you?" he asked with a grin.

"Oh, so now I'm just your servant at your beck and call?"

He shrugged with that adorable dorky smile on his face, and I shook my head. "Fine, I'll stay inside. But don't count on the hot chocolate."

He smiled as I added one more thing. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Aw," he said, his smile growing wider. "Does Wise Girl actually care?"

"Yes," I said. Though in my brain, I was forcing myself to think of it in a friend way. Nothing else. "You're my only friend right now here."

"I'll be good," he zipped up his coat, sending me a wave. "See ya."

With that, he opened the door, permitting a screeching howl of wind and slapping raindrops before slipping out and shutting the door firmly, leaving the house in silence. I took a deep breath, glancing at the clock. If he didn't make it back within a half hour at the most, I was going out there.

Yes, I was nervous. Storms made me that way, don't know why. I definitely did not want Percy out there.

Making my way into the kitchen, I searched for a pan and some milk. Turning the stove on, I started warming up some milk. When I had finally found the cocoa mix after what seemed like an hour, I looked once more at the time to see it had only been five minutes. Exhaling harshly, I sat down at the kitchen counter to wait. My thumbs tapped a beat on the counter, sounding like gunshots in the quietude.

The clock hand inched forward, agonizingly slow. I tested the milk with a finger, drawing back with a gasp and sucking on my now burning fingertip with a frown. Dumping it into the mug, I stirred it, then let it sit on the counter. When I saw there was enough left for me, too, I did the same to a second cup.

Fifteen minutes.

My knee started bouncing as I warmed my hands on the hot mug. The wind sounded eerily like screams outside, screams of tortured people. A shiver went down my spine, and I resisted the urge to look behind me. It was stupid. There was no one there.

Twenty minutes. What was taking him so long?

There was a crash outside—a tree having lost a branch to the vicious wind. I tried to imagine what the ranch would look like tomorrow. We'd have a bit to clean up.

I realized that while I had been marveling at the beauty of nature for the past few days, I had forgotten about the other side of it. Nature was like a gorgeous lady—she was breathtaking, but oftentimes her beauty came with another part of her that was a heartbreaker, and she made you feel pain.

Twenty-five minutes.

"Percy, where are you?" I mumbled, mixing his cocoa with a spoon. It was getting cold.

Then the door slammed open, making me whirl. I saw a dark figure stumble into the house, then struggle to close the door once more. It was a fight against the wind. The wind tried bravely and fiercely, but it lost, and the door banged shut with a boom similar to the never-ending thunder outside.

The person turned, and Percy's familiar green eyes met mine. A wave of relief poured over me, and I stood and smiled at him. But that faded once he raised his arm to wipe off the water from his brow.

"Percy!" I cried in alarm. "Your shoulder!"

A crimson liquid was squeezing out from a laceration on his upper arm, looking about three inches long. It was pouring blood pretty quickly, and I rushed over to him as he got his coat off. The sleeve of the coat, so it seemed, took the brunt of whatever had cut at him. It was slashed up the side, unusable now.

"Blackjack," he said, throwing his boots off. "He was scared, and rammed into me without knowing I was there. He pushed me into a big limb of a tree that had fallen, it's sharp side was sticking out. It's not too bad."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Not too bad?" I repeated. "Go get changed, then come back down and drink your cocoa and I'll look at your cut."

"Yes, mother," he replied with a smirk. Scowling at him, I pushed his uninjured shoulder towards the stairs and he mounted the steps, snickering.

"Hurry up, though!" I called after him. "Your drink is getting cold."

I heard him mutter something, but it was too quiet to hear. Instead, I just listened to the storm raging outside. Now that Percy was in the house, safe, and I wasn't alone, it didn't seem that scary anymore. I waited for Percy to return, stirring both cups.

I looked up as I heard him start down the stairs. Mentally I cursed myself for looking so soon, since it made ignoring everything harder.

He was in the middle of pulling on a shirt, his upper body exposed to the air. And what a fine upper body that was, might I add. I had no idea what these ranch boys did, but we needed to have all men do it.

Though in my opinion, most of them couldn't even compare to Percy.

_Stop, stop, stop_.

I cleared my throat, turning my face back to the kitchen, my skin feeling hot. Percy didn't seem to notice anything—he probably had girls swooning over him every day. For some reason, that thought made me angry and irrationally jealous.

_Oh, stop it!_

"Where's your first-aid kit?" I asked Percy, still not quite looking at him.

"Same closet as the puzzles, but the lowest shelf."

I followed his instructions, finding a box of salves and bandages and band aids. I brought it back out, seeing Percy inspecting his wound.

"Thanks for the hot cocoa, Wise Girl," he told me, grinning cheekily.

I smiled back at him. "You're welcome. Now let me see that."

For the next half hour, I cleaned away the blood that had clotted up around his injury. After all the gunk was gone, I was glad to see it wasn't as bad as I had initially thought. It was only deep enough to hit a vein, and that's why it was bleeding so much. When I finished cleaning, sitting opposite of Percy, I took a large bandage, tongue between my teeth as I concentrated on getting it on perfectly.

Once it was all done, I leaned back, inspecting my work. Satisfied, I looked back at Percy. He was watching me, like he had been the whole time I was taking care of his arm.

"Thanks."

I dimpled. "Again, you're welcome. But you owe me."

He took a sweeping bow. "I will never be able to repay you for your chivalrous deeds, m'lady."

Snorting, I replied with, "You're such an idiot."

He grinned, about to answer when his cell phone rang. It was sitting on the counter, where he had last put it. He glanced at the number, then held up a finger, pressing the green button.

"Hello?"

There was talking on the other side, a female voice. I drank down to the dregs of my coffee as I waited.

"I'm fine, Rachel," he said insistently. My ears pricked. It's her. "Yes, I'm fine . . . Yes, Annabeth is here."

_Jealous much, Rachel?_ I wanted to tell her don't worry, her boyfriend didn't and wasn't going to think of me like that. No matter how much that made disappointment bloom in me.

"I told you before, Rach, it's—" he sighed as he was cut off by his girlfriend. I could hear her rambling, and feeling a sudden tiredness come upon me from the day, I decided I'd go upstairs. It was only around seven, but I was exhausted. I motioned to the stairs, letting Percy know where I was going. He nodded distractedly, still talking to Rachel.

I listened to his voice drifting up to me as I trudged up the steps, his deep and soft tone circling in my ears like a child's lullaby. The hallway was almost pitch black because no lights were on. I stumbled into my room, groping the wall for the light switch. When I turned it on, I realized I hadn't done anything since I got here. My clothes were still in my suit case, just messier from my digging around in it. The toiletries bag was unpacked in the bathroom.

I sighed. If I was going to be here for the summer, I might as well make it feel like home.

The next hour was me unpacking, folding, hanging, and humming. Percy still hadn't come up, I didn't ever hear someone go up the stairs through my closed door, so he was either still talking to his girlfriend or he was eating.

Once it was all finished, neat rows of shoes and orderly stacked shirts and pants, with dresses and nicer shirts hanging, organized by color, I pulled out my phone to play a game that was a total waste of time.

Flappy Bird.

I hated that game, but I couldn't stop playing it. Malcolm and I had a contest to see who could get the most. He had sixty-three, I had eleven. Great, huh? It was so frustrating. If there was a way to calculate or use physics or something, I would be fine.

But there isn't. So it was just plain infuriating.

I didn't know if I was mad or relieved when my screen suddenly went black. Exhaling loudly, and too lazy to get off my butt and grab the charger, I just settled for throwing it down and reading a book instead.

I was engrossed in Pride and Prejudice. Every part of it I loved—especially Mr. Darcy. He was awesome. Rain kept pouring, and I absentmindedly thought that if it doesn't stop soon, we might have a recap of the flood. Thunder flashed, trees groaned, wind whipped by. Just when I was reading the part where Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth see each other at Pemberley, everything went dark.

No, I didn't pass out, and no—I don't think it was the end of the world. Though I was startled.

A very faint light came from the window, but the lights in the house were off. My hand went for my phone, but then I realized it was dead. I needed electricity to charge it. I'd never really had this problem before. Electricity was always there in San Francisco. If it wasn't, then that was a pretty big deal. I slid off my bed, standing shakily. Walking over, I opened the door and looked into the dark hallway. Everything was pitch black.

"Percy?" I called out tentatively.

"Yeah, one sec," he said back, sounding like he was still downstairs. "You wanna try and come down to the kitchen? Be careful of the stairs, make sure you hold the rail. I'm gonna try and find a flashlight."

I did as he said, keeping one hand on the wall as I made my way to the stairs. A lightning bolt lit up the hallway through the one window, casting a creepy light onto the room for a second before it went dark again. I sped up my steps, anxious to be downstairs.

My foot went down, then the other went as well. Slowly I descended the steps.

Of course, with my imagination racing, when the next lightning flash lit up the room when I was almost at the bottom and I saw a figure at the end of the stairs, all horror movies poured into my brain. Stupid brain.

I let out a shriek, jumping. But the shriek turned into a yelp as my foot slipped. Making a desperate grab for the railing, my other foot went as well, and unbalanced, I fell and careened right into the figure.

But instead of a cold cloth with a metal scythe that I expected the unknown person at the bottom of the stairs to have, I crashed into a warm, hard chest. Percy chuckled as his arms went up to catch me.

"I thought I told you to be careful," he said. I couldn't see his face, but I saw his smile.

"You scared me," I replied in an accusing voice.

"Did you think I was the Grim Reaper or something?" he asked. "Please, I'm way too hot to be him."

_Got that right._

_Stop, stop, stop._

"Come on, I was on my way to the kitchen." He turned, his arms that were wrapped around me falling. But his hand found mine and clutched it tight, pulling me along so I didn't hit anything.

I took a deep breath, holding his hand tighter. It engulfed mine, covering it like a blanket. The same sense of heat was there too, sending spikes of electricity up my arm. If only we could plug a chord into my arm, I could charge the whole house as long as Percy kept holding my hand.

The thought made me smile.

I was glad, however, that Percy was holding my hand, and not just for the reasons I had been thinking. I didn't know this house very well, so I would've been crashing into things left and right. Instead, I just walked wherever Percy walked as we went into the kitchen.

He led us over to a drawer by the utensil cabinet. Opening it, he searched for a flashlight. I stepped closer, peering into it as well, but I couldn't see anything.

"Can't find it," he said. Then he paused, "Wait, here's a candle, and the matches are attached to it." He let go of my hand to take the matches off of the candle. I realized that we had held hands longer than necessary.

_No, he just didn't remember you were holding hands. Besides it wouldn't mean anything—he already told you he's not interested, even though nothing happened already._

I'd been here for a few days. Already this boy had made my feelings go to war with each other.

"Here we go," he said suddenly. A small spark of light came into existence, and he held it close to the wick. A brighter flame came now, and he dispensed the match, then turned and brought the candle between us, coming face to face with me.

We were an inch away, our noses almost touching.

"Oh," he said, his voice weird, but I didn't know with what emotion. His green eyes looked incredibly endearing as they latched onto mine, and the fire made shadows chase each other across his face. "Well, hello there, Wise Girl."

I rolled my eyes, shoving him away with a smile as I heard him snickering.

A yawn escaped through my lips, causing Percy to young as well. Then we both grinned tiredly.

Suddenly, a thought struck me. "What did Poseidon really tell you?"

He was silent for a while, contemplating. "He just said that if the storm got worse, then we should stay in the basement, just in case."

I gestured to our black surroundings. "Is this 'worse'?"

As if nature wanted to answer me, a huge lightning flashed, and not a second later, thunder exploded above us, shaking the entire house and rattling our used mugs on the counter.

Percy pursed his lips. "Yeah, probably." He went back to the drawer and grabbed a few more candles. "Let's go." I followed the light of the candle, shielded from the breeze by Percy's hand. He led us around the corner to a door, which he opened and started going down the stairs.

It was a nice basement, not like some that were musty and concrete and basically just used for a storm shelter or storage. It looked like another part of the house from what I could see, but the small flame gave out limited light.

My eyelids were starting to grow heavy, and when Percy turned around, he saw me yawn once more.

"Come here, you can sleep on the couch."

I followed him diligently, finding a sofa set on shaggy carpet. Dimly I could see a TV facing the couch, and a small table like the one in the living room that held the abandoned puzzle.

Plopping onto the couch, I stretched my arms. Percy set a candle on the table, then lit it using his own. It brightened up a foot around it, making Percy's glossy hair reflect the red and orange.

"I'll be right back," he said, disappearing into another room. The couch lulled me to fall onto the pillows there, and I gave in, letting myself lay down on the comfy couch. I couldn't hear the rain, but the occasional thunder made it's way downstairs. The dark surroundings that would've made me somewhat fearful had I been fully awake just made me more tired, my brain telling me that it was dark, and dark meant night, and might meant sleep, and I needed sleep. Any teenager needed sleep.

Teenager. I wondered how old Percy was. My drowsiness made my thinking weird. "Percy? How old are you?"

I heard Percy's amused voice. "Eighteen."

"Hm," I mused tiredly. "That's my age, too."

Sleep was overtaking me quickly. I faintly remembered Percy chuckling, then I felt something being thrown over me, a soft blanket.

Right before I fell into unconsciousness, a hand touched my cheek gently, a light caress. It moved up, pushing my hair behind my ear in a soothing motion that quickened my descent into sleep.

"Good night, Annabeth."

I tried to answer, but the words just slipped past my lips in incoherent mumblings.

Finally, I fell asleep, watching the steady flame of the candle set before me. It flickered as Percy passed, the fire dancing in the darkness like a lonely ballerina.

* * *

**A little Percabeth! They're so adorable. I love them. :)**

**BTW: I have a new oneshot out. It's a Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood one. It's meant for a competition on Wattpad, but I put it on Fanfiction. It's called "The Mistake To Not Make" if any of you want to check it out. Thanks. :)**

_MeganAnnabethJackson:_ **Thank you so much, you're always reading my stories (including the new oneshot) and reviewing you make me smile with your reviews. Again, thank you! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Since I love you guys and your reviews so much, I made an effort to update quickly. Thank you all! :)**

* * *

When I woke up on the couch, I thought there was still thunder booming outside.

Then I realized that it was just Percy snoring on the floor.

Which each breath he took in and breathed out, it sounded like a tidal wave. When he snorted in his sleep, tossing and turning, that was the sound I had mistaken for thunder. I tried to go back to sleep, unaware of the time but wanting to close my heavy eyelids for just a little longer, but I couldn't. Not with Percy's racket.

Exhaling sharply, I reached my hand down, groping for something to throw at him. My hand closed around a narrow, hard object. I picked it up and chucked it at Percy's head.

For the part in a movie once, I had to learn how to throw darts perfectly and with strength. Therefore, the shoe I had grabbed struck Percy's head with enough force to make it jerk to the side.

He was still for a moment, then he muttered into his pillow, "Ow."

"You're snoring. Did you know you snored?"

"No, I wasn't aware. I was never able to catch myself snoring."

I rolled my eyes as Percy flipped over, his sea-green eyes meeting mine up on the couch. His hair was even messier than normal, if that was even possible. I wanted to run my fingers through it, but I restrained myself as he yawned and stretched like a cat.

"What time is it?" he asked, cracking his neck.

I shrugged, burying myself farther into the pillows. "I don't know."

But it seems we didn't need to find out, for we heard a voice call down from the top of the stairs. "Percy? Annabeth? Come up, I have blue pancakes for breakfast. There's one left, so the first one up gets it, but I have another batch coming."

Percy and I froze, glancing at each other. Then, quicker than a blink of an eye, we shot out of our beds, bolting towards the stairs and pushing each other behind in our race to get the pancake. I tripped Percy, and he went down, but his hand shot out and grabbed my ankle, making me grab onto the stair railing to hold myself up.

We were both a mess of giggles and bed-heads when we reached the kitchen, still shoving each other like five-year-olds as we made our way to the coveted pancake. Poseidon had been drinking coffee, but his hand paused halfway to his mouth as he stared at his son and I raging across the kitchen like twin tornadoes.

"There's more coming," he stated. "No need to kill each other."

Percy, unfortunately, reached the single pancake first, and he held it up like it was diamond. "Yes!" he exclaimed, turning to look at me with a triumphant smile. I was holding my sides, laughing hard.

"I beat you," he teased.

"Don't count on it happening again," I countered. He laughed, dumping a gallon of syrup onto his pancake while Poseidon watched, shaking his head.

As I walked over to find a mug and pour myself a cup of coffee, Percy said, "When did you get back?"

His mouth was full of food, and I sent him a reprimanding glance as he sprayed crumbs. He smiled sheepishly as Poseidon glanced at the clock, seeing it read eight o'clock.

"I got here about seven," the older man replied, taking a sip of his beverage. "The pups are healthy, six of them. And the mother is doing well, too." Percy nodded his happiness, grinning to show syrupy teeth. I grimaced, and Percy gushed his food out of the cracks of his teeth, just to spite me. I glared at him.

"How was your guys' sleep?" Poseidon asked.

I took a seat beside Percy at the bar counter, spinning from side to side in my swivel chair. "It was fine, except for Percy's snoring."

Poseidon chuckled, then said mischievously, "You two slept on different couches, I hope?"

I choked on the gulp of coffee I had just taken, and Percy looked up, eyes wide and alarmed. We both spoke at the same time in rushed, stammered words.

"Dad! I—I have a girlfriend! We didn't—we were—"

"No, no, no! No, I was on the couch—by myself. No."

Percy and I both stopped talking, blushes heating our cheeks.

Poseidon watched us with amused eyes. "Well, I was obviously joking, but you two seemed to take it seriously, so . . ." He trailed off, his smirk filling his face.

I got redder, and I wouldn't meet Percy's eyes.

Though I thought how nice it would've been to just fall asleep with Percy. Not doing anything—just falling asleep wrapped in his big and warm embrace.

_Stop, stop, stop!_

Thankfully, we were saved by dear Sally. I made a mental reminder to tell her she was absolutely amazing.

"Mom!" Percy said in an enthusiastic voice. Apparently he was grateful for the available subject change as well. "I didn't know you were here! Annabeth, did you know she was here?"

I shook my head quickly. "Nope."

Sally, in dirty gardening gloves and equally dirty clothes with her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, stared at us weirdly. I didn't blame her. We were totally making the atmosphere awkward.

"I came with your father," she said slowly.

Percy nodded, "Oh, yeah. Right. Why'd you come? Don't you have the puppies to take care of?"

She shook her head. "Paul's going to watch them. I came here to help clean up, because if you haven't noticed, the storm yesterday didn't exactly leave the ranch untouched."

"It didn't leave Percy untouched, either," I said, pointing to his arm. He glared at me for bringing it up, but I just smiled sweetly at him. Payback for taking the pancake.

"What?" Sally asked worriedly. "What happened?" She rushed over to Percy, pulling his sleeve up and looking at the bandage before he could protest.

With a swift grip, she tore off the bandage, leaving Percy hissing in pain at the tape taking off hairs on his arm as well.

"Ouch, mom!" he said. "Seriously. First Annabeth hits me with a shoe and now you're making my arm bald." He rubbed his shoulder protectively, but Sally just yanked his hand away to study his wound.

"Oh, Percy," she clucked disapprovingly. "What did you do to yourself?"

"It was Blackjack, in my defense," he mumbled.

I joined in. "Percy insisted on going to check on Blackjack, even though I tried to stop him. Sorry, Mrs. B—sorry, Sally," I told her, quickly fixing my last words to what she preferred.

"Oh, it's not your fault, Annabeth," she said, grabbing a towel and wetting it slightly to clean off the dregs of blood that had come during the night. "I can never keep this boy under control, I wouldn't expect you to."

She smiled at me, and I returned the gesture. The pancake cooker dinged, and Poseidon set his mug down to go take out the pancakes. He plopped a steaming oval one onto a plate and handed it to me. I grinned, thanking him and listening to Sally and Percy.

"It's not too bad, thankfully," she said, applying a new bandage onto his arm.

"I don't even feel it anymore," Percy said, moving his arm around. When he winced slightly, Sally chuckled, sending her eyes to the heavens.

"Don't feel it, huh?" she asked doubtfully.

"Well, he better not, because we have a lot to clean outside," Poseidon said. "When you two are done with your breakfasts, why don't you go get changed and then we'll start cleaning."

Percy and I both nodded, our mouths full. I finished my one pancake in the time Percy inhaled five, and I shook my head at him, muttering, "Boys."

After we had cleaned off our plates and helped Poseidon put some of the ingredients away, Percy dashed upstairs, me right behind him. I went into my room, heading for the closet. I picked out some old jeans and a Hollywood t-shirt before hastily slinging my hair up into a messy ponytail similar to Sally's. When I went out of the room and back downstairs, Percy was already pulling on his shoes.

"Slowpoke," he teased as he saw me coming down the stairs. I scowled at him, sticking out my tongue. Percy replied in the same manner, throwing a pair of gloves at me.

Sally was watching us, and her head went from side to side, a small smile on her face as she listened to our pointless bickering.

"You two," she said simply. "You're going to drive Poseidon crazy."

Percy scoffed. "I did that ten years ago, mama." He walked over to her, kissing her cheek as she chuckled, pushing him away.

"Go help your father," she told him. "He needs help repairing the gate on the paddock." He nodded, sending me a grin before disappearing out the door.

"What am I gonna work on?" I asked Sally.

She smiled. "You and I are redoing the gardens. They definitely did not like last night's wind and flooding rainwater." She beckoned to me, and I followed her out the door, taking in the yard.

There were broken branches strewn across the grass, along with a few flowers. The trees in the woods hung limply, like they always did after thunderstorms. I could smell the recent rain, the musty and fresh scent. It was completely still outside—still and humid, and I could tell today would be full of sweat.

Sally was right, the gardens were a wreck. Plants were torn from their roots, puddles drowned the colorful petals, and dirt and stray tree branches laid among the flowers like trash in a city alley.

For the next hour or so, Sally and I cleaned the gardens. I took care of the things that didn't belong, bringing the branches over to a big brush pile along the trees. When I asked Sally, she said that they use that for firewood whenever they wanted a bonfire. But mostly they stock up for the Fourth of July, where every year, Poseidon and Percy hold a huge party and the whole town comes. It's a tradition, and Percy loved it, she told me. There were fireworks, food, games, and a fierce bonfire late into the night.

When I was finished with my job, I helped Sally replant some flowers. She had some new ones in the gardening shed just for storms like this, so there would always be flowers to plant.

A certain plant caught my eye, though. It was the only plant that didn't have a flower. "What's that one?" I asked her.

She followed my finger. "Oh, that's a moon lace. They only bloom at night, but they're beautiful. You should come out and see them sometime when the moon's out." That got me curious, and I told myself to remember to do as she said.

"So," Sally started, kneeling in the dirt with a small spade to dig a hole for a marigold, "how're you settling in?"

"Great," I said honestly. "I love it here, especially the horses."

She laughed slightly. "Well, I'll be sure to tell Poseidon and Percy that you like the horses better than them." I rolled my eyes, grinning.

Sally continued. "It must be kind of hard, coming here. I mean, you're used to movies and red carpets and lots of people and buildings. Here, you've got a tiny town and nature."

"Yeah, it is different," I admitted. "But so many times I've caught myself marveling at everything. I like the nature—I always have. I do miss the city, but it's nice here."

"That's good," she said. "Are any of your friends going to come visit?"

"I hope. Piper—she's my clothes and make up artist—said she'd try to visit."

Sally nodded. "How're you and Percy getting along?" She studied my reaction, watching me intently, so I schooled my features and answered nonchalantly.

"Fine, he's nice," I told her, focusing on my plants. I had thought I hadn't let anything through my casual words, but Sally smiled a little knowingly.

"Hm, I'm sure," she said, a hint of something in her voice. I frowned at her. I was a worldwide actress, and I couldn't even lie to her about some silly feelings? Once again, that showed me that mothers really did seem to know everything.

I took a deep breath. "I was actually being serious, Sally," I told her, not meeting her eyes. "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking—if that makes sense—there's nothing and will be nothing between Percy and I. Besides, he has Rachel, and he's happy with her."

Sally didn't answer just buried the roots of the marigold quietly.

I frowned slightly. "They _are_ happy, right?"

Sally exhaled, then looked at me. "Whatever happens is obviously supposed to happen. We'll just have to wait it out and see, okay, dear?"

My eyebrows drew together slowly, trying to break down what she meant and figure out what she was implying. But before I could answer, she started talking again.

"Annabeth, could you do me a favor and go into the shed and find my clippers for me?"

Still confused, I nodded slightly, standing up and wiping the excess dirt off my knees, watching it fall to the ground like the raindrops that were just here. However, as I started walking, Sally pursed her lips.

"On second thought," she mused, "they are kind of hard to find."

"I can get them," Percy said behind us. He had come up while we were talking. As I watched, he reached up a hand to get the hair out of his face, then he realized they had gloves on them, and the gloves were dirty. He slid off his gloves, sticking them in his back pocket before pushing the hair away from his eyes.

Well, I could've done that for him.

"Oh, thank you, Percy," Sally said, smiling warmly at her son. "But why don't you take Annabeth with you so she can see where everything is for the future."

He nodded, motioning for me to follow him. I waved to Sally before trailing Percy towards the gardening shed.

I hadn't really seen the shed before, it was kind of out of the way behind the stables. Even though I thought of gardening sheds as small, this one was the opposite. It looked like a barn, with plenty of windows stationed along the sides.

"Woah, that's big," I said.

Percy chuckled. "Yeah, I know. My dad made it for my mom as a deal. She got a huge gardening shed but she helped us take care of our gardens. I think he went a little overboard, though."

He walked up to the only door that I could see to enter, putting his hand on it and shoving it open. A bit of dust shook loose as we entered, coughing a little from it. Once we were in, Percy walked over to the far wall where some spades dangled from hooks. He started searching for the clippers while I studied our surroundings.

The sunlight streamed through the windows set there, lighting up the dust particles in the air hazily and making the old and messy place appear like something out of a dream. There were shovels, wheelbarrows, hoes, gloves, pots, bags of planting soil, a wall of packets of labeled seeds—it was a gardener's dream.

"This is awesome." My voice echoed faintly in the room, returning to my ears like a lost wanderer.

"Mom loves it," Percy said. "I can't find the clippers she wants. We probably put them in the attic for the winter. Come on."

He walked a few steps, heading over to a ladder that was nailed into the wall, the ceiling above it cut open to reveal darkness. Then he paused, turning back to me.

"Wait," he stopped me. "You might not want to go up there."

I raised an eyebrow. "What? Is that where you keep the dead bodies of people that annoyed you?" I asked jokingly.

Percy shook his head. "Of course not, those are in my closet."

Rolling my eyes, I said seriously, "Why should I not go up there?"

He sighed. "Well, it's really dirty and old and we don't clean anything up there really, it's basically storage."

"And . . .?"

"Really, Wise Girl," he said exasperatedly. "I thought you were the smart one here. It's old and full of dusty boxes. What likes to stay in places like that."

A cold hand touched my heart. "Spiders," I whispered. Percy confirmed my fear, nodding slightly.

"I mean, you can stay here while I go. If you're scared." The last part was added with a hint of a challenge.

What did I tell you before about my pride? Yeah. So I took the little challenge to heart.

"I'll be fine," I stated firmly.

His dark eyebrow rose on his forehead, almost disappearing under his black, shiny locks. "Are you sure? Last time you had an encounter with a spider you didn't seem too 'fine.'"

"Well, I just wast expecting that, so it was really bad."

He shrugged. "I didn't think it was too bad. Actually, I rather enjoyed it."

His tone implied something else, and his cheeky grin proved it. I reddened slightly at the memory, glowering at him as his amused expression grew.

"You're disgusting," I said. "And I'm going."

Lifting a shoulder, he replied, "Suit yourself. But don't blame me when you get scared."

"I'll be fine," I repeated with determination. Percy looked at me for a second, then sighed in defeat, turning to put his hands on the ladder, pulling himself onto the rungs. I shook out my shoulders, willing myself to relax before climbing up the ladder behind him.

He reached the top, then stooped to lend me a hand. After helping me up, he reached behind me to flick a switch, and suddenly light entered. It was provided by an old lightbulb casting yellow light onto the junk pile in the attic.

Yes, it was mostly junk. But, hey, when people say "storage," they really mean junk that they don't use, right?

Boxes, opened and closed, were strewn unceremoniously around on the floor. Dust covered everything, and some sheets were thrown over more precious things, but they were covered in a layer of it, too. With the absence of windows, the room appeared even more dirtier than it seemed, which was saying a lot. It was the exact opposite of the shed below us.

As if he read my mind, Percy said, "This is my dad's spot, that's why it's so messy. Mom has the first floor, dad got up here."

He started across the room, stepping daintily between crates and random things on the ground.

Percy had been right. Spiders liked it up here, apparent from the hundreds of strands of webs going from beam to beam, corner to corner. They were everywhere, that nasty stuff, and even as I took one step forward, I felt a sticky strand hit my face. I shuddered, fighting the urge to take off and go back downstairs. Instead, I quickened my pace, walking right behind Percy so he took all the spiderwebs for me.

"Ah, there they are," he said, going forward to grab the lost clippers. When he took them off the wall, something fell onto my shoulder. I thought it was a clump of dirt, until the eight legs moved.

"Oh gods, oh gods," I said, barely able to calm myself so I didn't scream and panic. "Get it off, get it off, Percy! Get it off!"

All those words came out of my mouth so fast. Despite my trying to calm myself, it just didn't work. I was soon jumping around like a chimpanzee after five espressos, shaking the cursed spider off my shoulder.

I almost tripped, and my hand reached out for something to grab hold of. In doing so, my fingers went through a thick wall of webs, the strings falling onto my skin and making me shriek even more.

"Annabeth!" I heard Percy shout my name. "Annabeth, calm down! It's gone!"

I still didn't stop, and kept on freaking out until Percy grabbed my shoulders and pushed me towards the ladder after picking up the clippers again.

"Ew, ew, ew!" I screamed. "Why did I come up here? I _hate_ spiders!"

I was surprised I didn't just freeze up like I normally did, but Percy probably helped by ushering me towards the exit. He tossed the clippers down the opening, then turned, shimmying down the ladder.

"Come on, Annabeth," he called up to me. I was still panicking, my breathing coming in ragged breaths. I made a vow to never come up here again. Stupid clippers.

I flipped myself around, my feet shakily finding the rungs. But in my rush to get down, my foot slipped and I went tumbling down. Thankfully Percy was at the bottom waiting with outstretched arms, probably knowing I was going to trip myself. I fell right into his hands.

"Woah, calm down, Wise Girl," he said soothingly. One hand clutching my waist and the other pushing hair out of my face. We were pretty close, and I every time I gasped for breath, our stomachs hit.

Then the shed door slammed open.

Two figures appeared.

"Hey, Perce, you're—" the voice cut off as they saw us.

I took Percy and I in. We were in a compromising position, standing so close together. It didn't help that I was flushed, gasping for air from the attic.

With quick movement, I shoved Percy away from me, turning to look at the two newcomers with heated cheeks. As the door behind them swung shut, their silhouetted figures became clear. Jason and Leo. They were both staring wide-eyed at us.

"Hey," Percy said quickly, scratching the back of his neck. "What're you guys doing here?"

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Um, we came to help clean up the ranch. But if you and Annabeth are busy, we can come back later." He wiggled his eyebrows, grinning maniacally.

Jason rolled his eyes, smacking his friend's shoulder. "Shut up, Leo. He's got a girlfriend."

"Yeah, that wasn't anything," Percy stated. "I was just helping her down."

"Ah," Leo said, smirking. "Right."

Percy glowered at him.

"Well, Sally just sent us in here to check on you guys. She said you were taking a long time," Jason told us, looking at me and Percy. His blue shirt brought out his eyes as they found mine. He nodded a quick greeting, always so formal. I wondered if he had a girlfriend—and if not, maybe if he got one he'd loosen up a little.

"However," Leo said suggestively, just not letting it drop. "We now know why."

I rolled my eyes. "Leo, Percy was telling the truth."

"Whatever. Though I'm sure Rachel won't appreciate it."

Percy's eyes grew wide. "I was telling the truth!" he said somewhat aggressively.

Leo held up a hand. "Okay, okay. I was joking. Someone's PMSing."

"Leo, that only works for girls," I told him. "Now stop spreading any rumors that didn't happen, or I'll make you regret it."

Leo smirked. "Perhaps I was talking about you. PMSing, lately?"

I scowled at him as he laughed, bolting out the door before I could get to him and punch him.

Jason sent his eyes to the heavens. "Just ignore him. He's always like that. By the way, Poseidon needs your help, Percy."

With one final wave, he disappeared out the door, letting it fall shut and leaving Percy and me.

"Well," I said, exhaling harshly. "That was embarrassing."

"What?" Percy asked, grinning. "The fact that you totally flipped from seeing one spider on your shoulder, or that they obviously thought we were making out?"

I cast my eyes skyward. "Both, Seaweed Brain. Though I don't know how they could've thought the second one."

"I know. I mean, have they just forgotten about Rachel?"

_No, but I wish I could. _

Sighing, I said, "Let's go finish cleaning."

Percy nodded in agreement, picking up the clippers once again, his tanned arms rippling with muscles as he reached out. When he stood back up, he grinned at. The butterflies in my stomach went crazy and the supportive tendons in my knees disappeared.

Go ahead, just take a guess at which three words, all the same, went through my head.

I was hopeless.

* * *

**Ok, so big thanks to **MeganAnnabethJackson, phoenixfeather20111, bmftas101, LucyTheCrazyUnicorn, Plymethwill, kuroanimateotaku18, PavLuvsPercyJackson, Jedi1, INeedAUsername8, Ships, **and **rocketgod123 **for reviewing! You guys are ****amazing! :)**

**Thanks for reading! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Annnd... another pretty quick update. I do really love you guys! :P Enjoy!**

* * *

Over the next half month, I had lessons four times a week as we had planned. Soon I was trotting like a pro, but I was still too scared to canter or gallop. Percy was patient with that, just saying that I'd get to it someday.

Jason and Leo came over often, and soon I found myself enjoying their company. Leo was hilarious, always making everybody laugh. His friend, Jason, appeared more easy going as you got to know him. Percy, Jason, and Leo had their own little clique, and I felt honored when they decided to include me in on it. Apparently there were two more—Hazel and Frank. But they didn't know about my identity, so they didn't come over. I asked Percy what he was telling everybody, since nobody was allowed to come to the ranch, and his friends were used to coming.

"They think you're my shy cousin who doesn't like people," he had said, smirking. "Don't worry, they just think you have anxiety or a troubled life, they don't believe you to be totally mental. I think."

I had rolled my eyes, muttering from atop Porkpie, "Great. I love being mental."

Rachel also came over, but not that often. Our relationship gradually became worse. We barely spoke to each other, except for terse and tense greetings. Thankfully Percy sensed the dislike between us, and even though he didn't understand it, he resorted to going over to Rachel's more than she came here. I was grateful for that, but during those times, I couldn't help but wonder what they were doing.

Now, in the first week of June, I sat on my bed, completely bored.

I had been here for a month, and everyday was basically the same: get up, eat, horse lesson, some chores, and then spend the afternoon sitting around. Normally, that would've been awesome—except that I was cooped up in the house. I couldn't go to town with Poseidon and Percy, because everybody would recognize me. I didn't have Piper to do my makeup disguise, and I sure as Hades couldn't do it myself. I hated makeup, and I stayed far away from it. Therefore, I didn't really know how to use it.

So I was stuck. And bored.

I slumped down to the kitchen where Percy, Jason, and Leo were all eating sandwiches, despite the fact the lunch was a half hour ago.

"I'm bored," I announced, taking a seat next to Leo.

They glanced at me, then Leo said, "Go call up one of your friends. Like Luke." His voice was mischievous. He knew why I wanted to get into this upcoming movie, thanks to Percy's runaway mouth.

I glared at Leo, then at Percy, who held up his hands. "I said I was sorry! I forgot how Leo makes such a big deal out of things."

Focusing once more on Leo, I said, "I'm not calling Luke, because I don't have his number, and anyways, that's just weird. We aren't that close."

"But you want that to change, huh?" the crazy boy said, smirking. Huffing, I shoved at his shoulder, then got up to go sit by Percy instead, putting on a show of being mad at Leo.

Percy grinned at his friend while I plopped down next to him at the counter. "She likes me better than you."

_You don't say?_

Jason rolled his eyes, then said to me, "Why don't you read a book or something?"

I shook my head. "I've read all of them." We were silent, everybody thinking—or eating. I tapped a beat onto the counter with my fingers, the granite surface cool beneath my arms.

It seemed as though summer had held back a tiny bit, then recently, it let all the heat out in a blast directed towards Colorado. For the past week it's been in the upper eighties at least all over the state with absolutely no clouds, the sun beating down relentlessly. That still didn't stop me from wanting to do horse lessons. However, coming back in with buckets of sweat dripping off of me wasn't my idea of paradise.

"What I wouldn't give for a pool," I mused out loud. "It's so hot out."

Leo opened his mouth to say something, probably along the lines of, "That's because I'm here," but he didn't get to. Percy stood up suddenly, snapping his fingers.

"I know!" he exclaimed. We all looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"And what exactly is your plan?" I asked for the three of us.

He smiled, exchanging knowing glances with the boys. "Annabeth, go get riding clothes on, but put your swimsuit under that. You did bring a swimsuit, right?"

I nodded skeptically, saying slowly, "Yes, but where are we going? And we already had our lessons."

"Oh!" Jason said, a grin growing, the scar on his lip stretching as it did so. "We're going there? Sweet, let's do it."

"What are you guys talking about?" I said insistently.

"You'll like it," Leo told me, standing up as well. "Go get your clothes!"

I exhaled angrily at not being told, but I doubted they'd tell me if I just sat here stubbornly. So I got up quickly, running to and up the stairs into my room. My hands found the closet and I changed into my swimsuit before pulling jeans onto my long legs. After that, I yanked on a loose black tank top. As I was heading back downstairs, my eyes landed on my phone that was laying on the desk.

Leo's words had reminded me of something. My mom had called me. Many times. During most of them I was outside or didn't have my phone, so I had quite a bit of missed calls. Other times I just ignored her calls, not really in the mood for her telling me what to do. I had picked up a few times, knowing that if I didn't she'd probably freak and come out here herself to demand why I wasn't answering. That sounded like hell.

But even when I picked up, I made the phone calls short, always finding an excuse to get away before she could start making me do things or bossing me around.

However, I hadn't picked up the phone in a little while. She called earlier this morning while I was in my lesson, and left a voicemail saying I should get back to her, but I hadn't called back yet.

With a sigh, I turned and headed back downstairs. The boys were already in the stables, so I slipped my cowboy boots on and headed outside.

The heat hit me like a wall. Even though it hadn't rained in a while, it was still humid, and that didn't help. I swept back hair from my face, jogging out to the barn. Gnats whistled around my hair irritatingly, and I was happy when I reached the shade of the stables where there weren't so many bugs.

Four horses stood tied to a railing, their tails flicking away the persistent flies. Porkpie, upon spotting me, whinnied a greeting, butting my hand for affection as I neared him. I smiled, reaching out to pet his lean neck. He and I had grown considerably closer, and I loathed the day when I would have to leave.

"Hey, boy," I crooned, running my fingers through the knots in his hair.

I sensed a presence behind me and whirled around. Jason was standing there, watching me, a saddle in his hands.

"Oh, hey," I said, turning to face him. I couldn't see Percy and Leo so I assumed they were getting more saddles. "Any chance of telling me where we're going?"

He smiled slightly, shaking his head as he went to sling the saddle onto his horse, Tempest. I watched him as he did so, his blond hair shifting slightly.

Jason was pretty good-looking, in a rugged way. But he was nowhere near Percy's looks.

Tempest tossed his head, his grayish white coat moving as he pranced around skittishly. The horse kind of spooked me sometimes. He seemed so jumpy and weirdly shocking. In some way, he reminded me of a storm cloud.

"No, but Annabeth . . ." he trailed off, taking a deep breath.

"Yes?" I prompted, my hand pausing in its downstroke along Porkpie's forehead at Jason's odd tone.

Jason sighed. "I don't want to come off as a jerk, but I'm just watching out for my friends."

I frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

The boy's eyes wouldn't meet mine, he concentrated on securing the saddle onto Tempest's back before answering me. "I've been watching you and Percy. Not, like, creepily or anything, but I have noticed you two are . . . close."

He put a huge meaning into his last word, and it didn't blow by me. I felt what he was implying.

"No—no, Jason, there's nothing going on."

He held up his hand. "I believe you, I do. There's nothing right _now_. But I've known Rachel for a pretty long time, and I don't want to see her get hurt. The only thing I'm trying to say is just be careful. You're a big celebrity, and soon you'll be going back to your life, leaving us all behind. I don't want Percy or you to do something you both regret when that time comes, and maybe hurt Rachel."

His words went straight into my ears and plowed into my heart, making me suck desperately at the air for breath. "Jason—"

Once more he interrupted me. "I also know you and Rachel don't get along too well. Rachel's a nice girl, she's just jealous. Just . . . think carefully before you do anything, okay? And Percy's a good guy. Don't encourage him or lead him onto a road that will end up at a dead end."

If any other person other than Jason said this all to me, I'd get pretty mad and guess that the person hated me and enjoyed saying all that. But I knew Jason thought of me as a close friend. He was just speaking the truth, making me see reality.

Of course, he was right. I only had a couple months left here. I wanted to tell him that he needn't worry, I didn't think of Percy as anything but a friend. However, lately, as much as I tried to get it to go away, my little crush stayed obstinately. With every lopsided smile that Percy have me, or the adorable and goofy things that he did, that little crush grew.

I was pretty sure the words, _Stop, stop, stop_, had been through my head a million times in the past month.

But Jason's words were the ones to actually make me stop and think. He was right—I was going to leave. And soon. Some part of me insisted that we could make everything work, but it couldn't happen. We all lived totally different lives.

And if Rachel was a nice girl, just a little jealous, then I didn't want to hurt her either. I mean, jealousy made everyone act different and more mean than they normally did, and I wasn't an exception. If my boyfriend was spending the summer with another girl, living in the same house, I wouldn't be too thrilled either.

Surprisingly, a pang of sympathy shot through me for her. I resolved to try to be nicer to her, even if it might be really hard.

And I could start by leaving her boyfriend alone. No matter how difficult that would be.

"Thank you, Jason," I muttered, quietly petting Porkpie again. The horse seemed to sense my mood—he was perfectly still and silent. "For making me realize."

He dipped his head. "I just don't want to see anybody hurt—you included."

I sent him a small, half-hearted smile over Porkpie, which he returned. He obviously didn't like telling me all those things, he just felt it was his duty to. I was torn, happy that he had told me before things escalated, but also still unable to deny what I felt for Percy.

Before I could dwell on it, two people walked around the corner, chatting animatedly. Once they saw me and Jason with our solemn expressions, their laughter ceased.

"Um, everything okay?" Percy asked cautiously.

Forcing a smile, making my eyes crinkle to make it look genuine, I said, "Yeah! I was just trying to make him tell me where we're going."

Percy winked. "It's a surprise. I told you. Here's your saddle." He brought my saddle over, handing it to me. Our hands touched briefly, but long enough for me to get tingles and then to remember what Jason just said. I mumbled a thank you before putting the saddle on Porkpie, strapping it around his stomach. Percy quickly did the same to Blackjack, who was tossing his head impatiently. Leo had already saddled Guido, and he grabbed the reins, leading the horse outside, Jason following with Tempest. I glanced back at Percy, and he nodded for me to follow them, him bringing up the rear.

Once we were outside, we all mounted. I got on, watching as Percy pulled himself up in one smooth movement, brushing hair out of his face. He squinted up at the burning sun, the beams of light playing with highlights along his hair.

Porkpie, seeing Tempest and Guido start walking ahead of him, started walking as well without me telling him too, following his friends. I shook my head at the horse, petting his neck before holding tighter to the reins.

Instead of heading for the paddock, Leo, who was in the lead, aimed towards a trail leading into the woods. I watched curiously as we made our way through the trees, once again wondering where we were going. Obviously someplace to swim, hence the suits. I thought I remembered Percy saying something about a lake, so that was my guess.

I had been on a few trail rides before. I always loved making my through the dense trunks, the birds loud in the branches above me, and spikes of sunlight passing my face through the breaks in the canopy of trees overhead. It smelled musty and earthy, like summer. Leo whistled a merry tune as he led the way, slapping low-lying branches with a stick he had grabbed. Once he was bored with that, though, he chucked the stick back, hitting an unexpected Percy square on the chest.

"Ouch," Percy complained. He frowned at his friend up ahead, who was chortling. Percy leaned far down off Blackjack, the horse leaning the opposite way to keep balance as his owner snatched a rotten branch. He whipped his hand back, then forward, his aim perfect as it hit Leo's head.

Jason just shook his head. "I swear Annabeth and I are the only mature ones." He barely got the words out before he was hit with a tree limb by Percy. Jason pivoted in his seat, glaring at Percy. Then he flung his own branch towards Percy, who ducked and guffawed, laughing at Jason's failure.

I laughed as well, rolling my eyes at the three boys.

"Mature, huh?" Leo called tauntingly, dodging the stick Jason threw at him.

"Now it's just me," I said. When they all turned to me with a mischievous glint in their eyes, I added, "If you hit me with a stick, I swear you will regret the day you were born."

Leo sighed, dropping his stick. "You know, usually people sound joking when they say that. But when Annabeth says it, she's scary. I thought blondes were supposed to be dumb and giggly."

Jason scoffed, pushing a hand out indignantly and pointing at his yellow hair as I cast my eyes skyward. "That's a _stereotype, _Leo. It's not true."

"I don't know," Percy said, grinning. "Jason's pretty giggly."

Cue Jason's huff of exasperated air and scowl.

"Oh, yes. Extremely giggle," I said, watching Jason.

Percy chuckled, then stated, "Hey, we're here."

At his words, I whipped my head around to look at our surroundings. For a second I couldn't see any difference. Then we broke through the forest and into our views came a lake.

It was beautiful. The sun glinted off of the river, which came from a curve and disappeared into a curve. The current wasn't fast, more like sluggishly rolling along. There was a small beach right up against the shore of the lake, making the lake look like a horseshoe bending away from us. Around the beach were rocks, grass, and wildflowers. On the other side of the lake from where we were standing, the ground quickly started going up steeply, creating a sort of wall of dirt and trees. A thick rope hung from a sturdy tree branch, allowing you to swing into the lake. It was pretty high up, so the lake must be deep.

"This is awesome," I said, Porkpie moving me closer to the shoreline.

Percy came up beside me on Blackjack, the ebony horse finding footing among the rocks.

He turned to me with a smile. "Welcome to nature's pool." I laughed as we dismounted. Jason and Leo offered to take our horses for us, leading them to a grassy clearing off to the side to let them graze while we swam. Percy and I stood, the sun reflecting off the water and chasing shadows on our faces.

"This is really awesome," I repeated.

Percy laughed. "So you said. I love it here—always have. Mom teases me, saying that I'm half fish because I love the water so much."

I smiled. "I bet you love the ocean then."

Sighing, he said, "I bet I would. I've always wanted to go there."

I turned to him incredulously. "You've never been to the sea?"

He shook his head, looking at the tiny waves lapping against the small shore wistfully. "Nope. But someday I hope I can make it out there. I want to so badly. My mom and dad met at a beach."

Frowning, an idea came into my head, rushing around my brain in fluttery motions. But before I could think harder about it, Leo called to me.

"Hey, Annabeth," he said. When I turned, he reached a finger and pulled it to himself in a_ Come here_ gesture, his movements seductive. Then he put his fingers in the waistband of his jeans before slowly drawing them down.

What would've been a totally inappropriate scene turned out to be comical as he revealed, instead of skin, a swim suit. One with little hammers and shovels and other workshop items printed on it.

I bust out laughing as Jason punched Leo's shoulder. The blond was already in his blue swim trunks, and as I turned, Percy had his swimsuit and his t-shirt on. His trunks consisted of three stripes, the bottom one light blue, the second dark blue, and the last, lying low around his hips, was a black that matched his hair. As he pulled off his shirt, my first thought was, _Good gods, bring me here everyday, you sexy thang_.

Hey, you can't blame me. You should've seen Percy.

But yeah, I gave myself a proper mental beating for letting those words slip through into my mind. Like Jason said, I just needed to let everything go.

"Race you to the water, Wise Girl," Percy said with a dopey grin.

I smirked. "You're on."

Without further ado, we both took off towards the water, me lagging a bit behind as I struggled to get my jeans off and throwing off my tank top. I had a grey bikini underneath, plain with a little twist in the middle front of my top. It felt amazing, the air surrounding my used-to-be-suffocated body. But it was nothing to how the water felt.

I splashed in after Percy, both of us laughing. The coolness met my body in a welcome embrace, and for a moment I just stood waist deep in the water, reveling in the temperature.

"Oh, gods, this feels amazing!" I said. Percy flashed me a smile, then submerged himself fully, vanishing from my sight. I could see a tiny trail of bubbles, but they soon stopped. Glancing around, I peered into the lake, but there was no sign of him in the murky water.

Then Leo shouted from the other side of the lake, making my gaze shift to him. He had made it onto the land, and he was scrambling up to the little ledge that had the rope dangling above it. I watched as he jumped, grabbing hold of the rope and then letting go of his hold on the land. He swung, yelling something stupid like, "Tarzan!" and doing Tarzan's weird call. He looked like a scrawny, yodeling chimpanzee.

I was still cracking up as Leo let go, swinging into the water with a big splash. But before I saw him resurface, something grabbed my ankle. I didn't even get enough time to yelp in surprise as the hand pulled my foot out from under me, making me crash into the lake water. Green and brown water surrounded my vision as I thrashed, trying to dislodge the person's hold on me. Fingers slid over my foot, causing me to jerk away. I was extremely ticklish. But when I opened my mouth to scream a laugh, water flooded onto my tongue, making me choke.

The person let go of me, and I couldn't find a foothold. It was too deep here. Coughing on water, my lungs burning, I tried to swim to the surface. I was pretty sure I was going up.

Then a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist, helping me up to the top. When we broke through, I took a huge gulp of air, relieved when I got oxygen, not lake water.

The sun shone into my eyes, and I turned my head to look back at the person who had helped me up.

Sea-green eyes met mine, his dancing with mirth but also a touch of concern. "You okay?" he asked me.

Meanwhile, I was choking and struggling for breath. I gave him a thumbs up, smiling tightly. "Just peachy. I would say thanks for helping me, but I bet you were the one who pulled me down in the first place."

He smirked. "How'd you know?"

I sent him a look, then let the grin that was tugging at my lips go, stretching my dripping face wide. We were treading the water, staying afloat in the deep water. Well, I didn't have to do too much, Percy was supporting the both of us. His arm was snaked around me, his corded muscles touching my sides. When we rose and fell with each kick, I could see the top of Percy's abdomen muscles, the hard ridges making me want to look and not want to look.

Then, over Percy's shoulder I saw Jason. He was watching us. His gaze wasn't warning or even accusatory, he just watched us, what I was doing.

His words flitting through my head, I took a deep breath, pushing myself away from Percy. Percy's hair was wet and messy, and he shook it, splattering me.

I made a noise in the back of my throat, splashing him and at the same time started backpedaling to shallower waters. Percy shielded his eyes from the water, then retaliated with his own hand. He seemed to be able to spray more water than it should be possible, and I felt like a pail of water had just been dumped on me.

Then I realized Leo had splashed me from behind at the same time. I was stuck between the two, both of them throwing the lake liquid at me relentlessly, me shrieking in protest but also laughing.

"Jason!" I yelled. "Help me!"

I heard a laugh, then a splash. Jason had crashed into the water, tackling Leo and sending both of them underwater. I guffawed at the sight of the two, then coughed as water was sent into my mouth.

Sending a murderous glare towards Percy, who had splashed me, I advanced towards him, ready to get him back.

The four of us spent most of the afternoon playing in the lake. We had water fights, competitions for who could do the coolest trick off the swings, and then we spent a half hour sitting under the sun and listening to Leo's jokes and puns. It was a super fun afternoon—especially since we got to do something other than sit in the house.

"Hey, Annie!" Leo called to me.

I glowered at him. "If you call me Annie one more time I swear—"

"Okay, okay!" he said, holding up his hands defensively. "Sheesh. Calm your t—"

"Leo!" Jason scolded the Hispanic boy, stopping his words. "Don't say that."

Leo rolled his brown eyes, then said to me, "Knock knock."

I was sitting next to Percy, who was laying down on the sand, his tanned body glistening in the sun. At Leo's words, he groaned, saying, "Oh, gods. I hate these."

I sent my eyes skyward, poking his stomach and answering Leo. "Who's there?" I ignored Percy, who had sat up quickly at my poke and was rubbing his stomach while giving me a pouty face. It's not like my jab did much—Percy's stomach was as hard as wood. If anything it would've hurt my finger. Though there was no way I was going to tell him that.

"Yoo," Leo said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yoo who?"

He grinned crazily, saying in a high pitched accent, "Yoo who! Big summer blowout!"

"Oh, my gods, not Frozen," I muttered. Meanwhile, Percy had cracked up, laughing hard. I looked at him, amazed that he found that joke so funny. Then again, it was Percy.

"Seaweed Brain," I told him, shaking my head. He was still chuckling, looking up at me with sparkling eyes.

Then he sobered up, saying, "Guys, I'm hungry."

"What?" Jason said incredulously. "Percy's actually hungry? That _never_ happens. Wow." I rolled my eyes again, standing up and brushing the sand off of my knees.

"Let's head back," I told them all.

Leo jumped to his feet. "Last one to get into their clothes and onto their horse is a rotten egg!"

He took off, his footsteps spraying up sand that glinted in the sunlight. Jason was right behind him, but Percy just stayed with his arm draped over his face to shield his eyes from the blazing ball of fire overhead.

"Come on, Percy," I said down to the boy, waiting for him.

He cracked one eye open, watching me. Then he held out a hand, motioning for me to help him up. I exhaled, holding my palm out, fingers splayed. Right when they connected, Percy yanked hard. I went crashing down on top of him, our bodies colliding. Because we were just wearing swimsuits, I felt his skin all over mine, warm from the sun. Before I could catch my breath, Percy rolled us both over, flashed me a smile, his face an inch away, then shot up. He laughed as he started running for Blackjack.

I took in a deep gulp of oxygen, not able to before, then shouted to him, "That's not fair, idiot! Cheater!"

He just kept laughing. "You're a rotten egg, Wise Girl!"

I growled at his receding back, picking myself up off the ground. "That's the last time I ever help you."

With that, I raced after him in the sunlight.

I wondered what we looked like to the heavens. Two kids running, one laughing and the other mad—anybody up there would probably just scoff and say, "Teenagers."

That's right. But teen years are awesome. It's right before you grow up, but after you're stopped being labeled as a child. It's where you find everything—the fun in life, your direction to where you're going to go, and more often than not, love.

I'd pretty much found the first two. Now I was waiting for the last, the one I deemed most important.

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**Thanks for the reviews and the follows and favorites! You guys are awesome, and are the reasons for the quick updates. Well, that and that I've found I really like writing this story. :)**

**Special thanks to **wouldtheywriteasongforyou, **because they gave me a ton of advice and compliments, but I needed that advice, my story was lacking some things. So thank you! :)**

**Thanks to **MeganAnnabethJackson, Fireboy, kuroanimateotaku18, Safari **(otherwise known as** wouldtheywriteasongforyou**), **awesooooooome, rocketgod123, LucyTheCrazyUnicorn, AutumnLeaves03, Stella928, the apricot, 123, darkmagician751, Jedi1, PavLuvsPercyJackson, INeedAUsername8, Skyline, **and the guests for reviewing!**

**Q&amp;A and the talks**

Safari/wouldtheywriteasongforyou: **First off, you are very observant. I love that. Can you be, like, the person who tells me if I forgot something or if I need to put in something? XD I hope I've put in most of the things you said, but if not, I've put them into upcoming chapters. Thanks again! :)**

rocketgod123: **Well, you'll learn more about Percy's birth and Poseidon and Sally's marriage later. ;)**

Jedi1: **Don't worry, Piper will definitely make an appearance. Besides, Jason does need a girl, right? ;)**

Skyline: **Hahaha I don't think you jinxed it. We'll see though! :)**

**Again, thanks you all. I love writing quick updates because I know you love them. So I hoped you enjoy! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Can't believe we're on chapter 9 already! :)**

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Well, guess who got to come over today? I was _so_ excited to see her.

Yeah, I hope you note the sarcasm there.

Poseidon, Percy, and I were sitting at the counter eating lunch when we heard a car drive up.

Percy's dad glanced at the door questioningly. "Expecting anyone, Perce?"

The sea-green eyed boy shook his head, his mouth full. Then he swallowed the large bite. "Not that I know of. Jason has to work, and Leo was visiting his dad."

So we waited in anticipation with our hotdogs in hand. However, when we saw the car briefly through the windows by the door as it parked in front of the garage, Percy exclaimed, "Oh, that's Rachel."

My chewing paused, then I resumed again. _Be nice to her_. That's what I had to do. _Be nice to her_.

While Percy's eyes strayed to the door and waited, Poseidon found mine. There was a touch of sympathy in his gaze. For some reason, he seemed to understand why I disliked Rachel so much, which was weird, considering I didn't exactly know myself. But again, thinking of his sympathy and my talk with Sally after the storm, I wondered how they knew, and why they weren't telling me to back off. I mean, Percy had a girlfriend. They should be protecting their son's relationship.

So why did they seem to not really care?

My thoughts were interrupted as the front door opened, and a red-haired girl stepped in, shutting it behind her. Percy stood up, walking over to her.

"Hey," he said, giving her a hug. "I thought you were spending the day with your parents."

She shrugged. "I was going to, but then dad got called off on another business meeting and mom said she had to meet with some friends, so I decided to come spend the day with you instead." She gave him a bright smile, then nodded a greeting to Poseidon, who nodded politely back. As I expected, she ignored me. But this time Percy noticed that, and he frowned, raising an eyebrow in my direction. I waved him off, focusing on my barbecue chips.

"Well, what did you want to do?" Percy asked his girlfriend.

"I don't know. Go for a ride outside?"

He nodded. "Sure, we can go on a trail ride. Annabeth, you want to come?"

At this, Rachel finally looked at me. Her eyes narrowed, and in her irises shone with a warning.

Sighing, I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. You go along with Rachel, Percy."

Rachel had a glint of triumph in her eyes, but Percy continued. "No, you should come. You haven't gotten to go on many trail rides with more people than just you and I."

I raised an eyebrow. "We went yesterday."

"What? With who?" Rachel queried suddenly. "Where to?"

Percy turned to her sheepishly. "With Jason and Leo to the lake. We were going to call you, but I thought you had to work."

"I didn't work yesterday."

"Oh, really?" Percy asked innocently. Rachel's eyes became smaller as she looked at Percy, but he switched his view from her to me.

"You should come," he said. "Let's go."

"Percy—," I started once more. A trail ride with Rachel was likely to not end too well.

"No, you're coming," Percy said firmly. Rachel gave him a little glare, which he happened to not see. So she switched her gaze to me, and I lifted a shoulder, my expression saying to her, _I tried_. She huffed, crossing her arms.

Poseidon, who had been watching this all in silence, now spoke up. "Alright, then. Looks like you're all going."

Percy nodded, and I tightened my jaw. Desperate to get a relief from Rachel's death glare, I muttered, "I'm gonna go get some socks." Standing up, I practically jogged towards the stairs. As I stepped up, I heard Percy and Rachel head out. I felt bad for him, since he was probably going to get an earful from his girlfriend for inviting me.

My feet thumped slowly on the ground as I walked to my room, heading over to the drawers to pull out some striped socks, yanking them onto my feet. I was about to leave the room when I heard my iPhone ringing insistently from under the covers. Grabbing it, I checked the caller ID.

It was my mom.

I exhaled largely. I had meant to call her back last night, but Jason and Leo had stayed pretty late and I was tired from the day, so I fell asleep accidentally. Then my mom had called this morning during my lesson, and I still hadn't called her back. But now, I really didn't feel like talking to her.

Pursing my lips, I turned and left the room, knowing the consequences of ignoring so many of her calls would catch up to me but not really caring at the moment. Back downstairs, Poseidon was cleaning from lunch.

I paused on my way to the door, saying to him, "Do you need some help?"

He looked over his shoulder at me. "No, I'm fine, thank you. But I do hear your phone ringing, do you want to get that?"

I hurriedly shook my head. "It's okay. It's just my mom.

He frowned, his green eyes swirling with curiosity. "Percy and Rachel can wait for you two to talk."

Biting my lip, I said once more, "No, it's good. I'll call her later."

Poseidon watched me carefully, then he turned back to the sink and the dishes, telling me resignedly, "Okay. Better go saddle Porkpie."

I nodded, said goodbye, then slipped my feet into my boots before heading out. It was still unbelievably hot, and I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, allowing the air to flow sluggishly onto my neck.

When I stepped into the stable, I couldn't see anybody. Frowning, I went farther in. Blackjack, Porkpie, and Guido were all tied up on the railing right outside the door. Percy had been going to work with Blackjack this afternoon, so the ebony horse was already saddled, but the other two weren't. I patted all three horses, then decided to go get my saddle. Horses nickered greetings as I passed their stalls, and I smiled back to them, stopping to rub a few foreheads. I loved all these horses.

When I reached the tack room, the door was ajar slightly. Walking slowly, I peeked in. Percy and Rachel were standing there, whispering to each other in hushed but harsh tones. They didn't look too happy, and as I watched, Percy rolled his eyes and lifted a hand incredulously like Rachel had just accused him of something that would totally not happen. She poked his chest, but not playfully—her actions were angry.

"It's a perfectly reasonable thought, Percy," she hissed. "And you know it."

He looked at her, struggling to form words. "What is wrong with you? You can't give me an inch of trust, and it should be the other way."

"What's wrong with _me_?" she asked incredulously. "Our relationship is struggling, Percy, and if you keep—"

"Yeah, well, who's fault is that to begin with, Rachel?" He practically spat her name. For a moment Rachel seemed speechless and a hint of guilt flew through her stance as she took a step back.

_What did that mean?_

I reluctantly forced myself to walk away, hoping to leave before they noticed me, even though I really wanted to hear what was happening. But I knew it was wrong to stay longer.

However, as I moved, Percy's eyes flitted above Rachel's head and met mine. He didn't look mad that I was right there, listening to them, but instead relieved, like he was sick of arguing and was glad for the distraction.

"Annabeth." His voice lilted on the first "a". Rachel pivoted on her cowboy boot-covered heel, facing me.

For a second I saw a sadness in her eyes, but it was soon gone, replaced with the hatred she always put on display for me. Wasn't I special.

"Uh, hey," I started awkwardly. "I was just coming to get my saddle."

Percy nodded, and I walked in cautiously. With one last look at Rachel, Percy grabbed Guido's saddle, then exited the tack room. Rachel watched him go, chewing on her lip. I found Porkpie's saddle and was about to follow him, but a hand gripped my arm before I could leave, making me stop.

I shifted to look at Rachel, an eyebrow raised.

Her gaze was devoid of emotion. "What are you doing?"

I stared at her. "Getting my saddle."

She rolled her green eyes. "No. What are you doing with my boyfriend?"

If my hands weren't holding my saddle, I would put them up defensively. "Nothing. I swear Rachel, there's nothing going on. Gods, what do you have against me anyways? What have I done to you?" Briefly, my previous thoughts of being nicer to her crossed my brain, but I pushed them away impatiently.

"Really, Annabeth?" she asked me viciously, anger now painting her cheeks a shade of red. "Are you really that dumb? Gods, and I thought you had some brains. At least, I would hope so, since my boyfriend gave you the adorable pet name _Wise Girl_." She didn't sound too happy at that.

"It's a nickname, not a pet name. _Friends_ give that to each other." I put extra stress on the word "friends."

"Friends? Is that what you are? Honestly?"

"Oh, my gods," I said exasperatedly. "Really? How many times do I have to go over this: _Percy and I are just friends_."

Rachel raised an elegant brow. "Well, you can convince me of that once you start acting like friends."

Jason's words repeated in my ears, and now Rachel was just enforcing that thought. But Percy and I _were_ just friends. We didn't act any other way. Right?

"I'm not going to have this conversation right now, Rachel, not until you believe me." With that I turned obstinately, my feet stomping as I trudged furiously out of the room.

But as I was walking out, Rachel stopped me yet again. This time, her voice was different. Instead of anger, it was just broken, her letters laced with sadness. She sounded like she had lost something that had been precious to her, and she didn't know if she'd get it back.

"I don't blame you for liking him," she said softly. I paused, not even bothering to protest to that as she continued. "I mean, Percy is perfect. He's cute, adorable, goofy, kind, amazing . . . but he's mine."

Her tone made me turn around. She sounded like she was struggling to convince herself, not me.

Rachel looked past me distantly, wistfully. "But . . . I messed that up. Oh, gods, I messed it up bad. I don't know if . . ."

She trailed off, and a visible vulnerability entered her eyes. Guilt, sorrow, self-hatred—it was all there.

Then a second later, it turned back into a hard wall, cutting off every expression except the usual anger. She glared at me.

"Don't take him from me," she said, her voice venomous.

I just watched her, my mouth slightly open. I had just seen her go from furious to miserable and guilty to angry again. What had she been talking about?

"Don't you dare," she repeated, her voice cracking. "Just because you're some big movie star who always gets her way doesn't mean you can have Percy." I was shocked to see her green eyes shining, and a drop of water slid down her freckled cheek.

Well, there was a whole lot more to Rachel, and her relationship with Percy, then I originally thought.

"Rachel—," I began, not exactly knowing what I was going to say.

"Just go," she told me, wiping roughly at her eyes.

I swallowed, then decided to do as she said. Turning, I stumbled back into the stable, everything I had just heard making my thoughts go ballistic.

As I approached the horses, Percy appeared in my vision. I glanced over his shoulder to see Guido all ready to go.

"Hey, what took you so long? Where's Rachel?" He reached out to grab my arm.

Jason's conversation, Rachel's close confession of something, her warnings, her sudden change in behavior—it all rushed up to me and my brain, making me jerk away from Percy's touch, the metal hooks on the saddle tinkling like bells as I did.

The two oceans of Percy's eyes swirled with confusion, and he said in a timid and baffled voice, "Annabeth? What's wrong?"

"No—nothing," I stammered. Then, cursing myself, I tried to sound normal. "Um, Rachel was helping me with my tack. She's coming soon."

Percy looked at me dubiously, his broad shoulders shifting. My teeth gnawed on the inside of my cheek as I turned away, walking briskly to Porkpie, slinging the saddle onto the golden horse. I felt Percy's eyes boring into my back, but I didn't look at him. Bending down, I searched for the dangling cinch, pulling it taut under Porkpie's belly. I didn't look back until I heard Rachel approaching.

It was as if nothing had happened—she still ignored me or gave me a glare, and she smiled at Percy, though it was tighter than normal. He looked at her skeptically, then back at me. Neither of us met his gaze.

As we were getting ready to mount, I said to Percy, "Do I have to wear a helmet?" For the first few weeks Te answer would've been a definite yes. But as I got more comfortable on a horse, Percy had been lenient with the helmet. I mean, in the movie I probably wasn't going to wear a helmet, so I had better get used to it.

Percy spared me a glance. "I guess not. Just be careful."

Rachel scoffed from stop Guido. "You never say that to me." I didn't know if she wanted us to hear that or not, but we did.

Percy sighed, facing his girlfriend. "Yes, I have. And I know you've been around horses a lot longer than Annabeth, okay?"

She took a deep breath, staring ahead. Percy clenched his jaw, then gestured for me to get on. I turned to Porkpie, clutching the saddle horn and swinging myself onto the horse. Rachel was in the lead, and Percy took the rear. We started for the woods, the only sound being the clip-clops of the hooves on the dry, hard-packed dirt floor. The air was tense, anybody could've sensed that.

It stayed that way for the next half hour, all of us just riding and not speaking much.

I was thankful for the trees overhead providing some respite from the hot sun, but soon we broke through the trees, and a large meadow stood before us. It was a huge oval, surrounded on all sides by more forest. A meandering path made its way to the other side of the meadow, tall grass on each side of the trail. As Guido stepped onto the trail, Rachel started talking.

"So, Annabeth!" she said, her voice sickly enthusiastic. "How have the lessons been? Learning anything?"

I frowned at her back. Where was this leading to? I replied carefully. "Fine. I think I'll be good enough for the part."

She glanced back at me, an eyebrow raised. "Do you now? Can you canter or gallop?"

I swallowed. "Yes, somewhat," I lied. I felt Percy's questioning gaze, but I focused on Rachel.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing, really. I was just going to see if you wanted to race across the meadow. We always do it. But if, you know, you're not _good_ enough, we can just walk for you."

_Oh, bad choice of words, honey_. "What do you mean? I'm perfectly capable."

"Annabeth, I don't think—," Percy began warningly, but his girlfriend cut him off.

"Are you? Do you want to race? Though if you don't do as well as you hoped, don't beat yourself up. I mean, you are just a beginner."

The challenge was clear in her voice. She probably wanted to prove to me that she was better, and I wasn't going to let that happen. Ignoring Percy's words of argument, I accepted.

"Fine. Ready when you are." My heart was beating fast. What was I doing? I just learned how to trot well, I couldn't canter or gallop!

I saw Rachel's cheeks move as she smirked. "I'll give you a little head start."

All sense of doubt and safety was thrown out the window as my pride took over. "You're going to regret that."

"Annabeth, stop!" Percy called urgently, and I heard Blackjack start to speed up as if Percy was going to stop me.

But I dug my heels into Porkpie's sides, and I felt the familiar hop before Porkpie started straight into a canter. I maneuvered him around Guido, Rachel watching me with slitted eyes, then kicked him again.

I was in a full gallop now, and I was totally regretting my decision. It was all I could do to hold on, the wind screeching past me and pulling at my blonde curly hair. I heard someone shout behind me, but I didn't try to answer. If I opened my mouth, I wouldn't be able to stop the screams. I would _not_ scream—not in front of Rachel.

It was bumpy and dislodging, this gait. My muscles had frozen up, I couldn't move. I couldn't grab the reins, which were flying all over the place by Porkpie's neck, and pull back, making him stop. The only thing I could really do was hold onto the horn and pray for it to end.

Well, it did end. Rather abruptly, too. I finally got regained an ounce of control over my muscles and snatched the reins, yanking back hard. Being a quarter horse, Porkpie was used to this. In rodeos, horses like him were trained to skid to a stop in a tiny distance. Porkpie did just that, and I almost toppled over the front of him. I thought I was fine until he reared, whinnying loudly.

I wasn't ready for this. The sudden stop had put me off balance, and then when the horse went on his back two feet, I was done for. Reaching out, I made a desperate reach for the saddle horn, my fingers grazing the rough, cracked leather, but I couldn't get it.

I remember falling, my body unlatching from the saddle, the impossibly blue sky crowding my vision. I slid off the back of the horse, heading straight for the ground. Time seemed to have slowed. Somewhere behind me, Percy shouted my name, more agony and worry in his voice than I had ever heard in my entire life. But I couldn't look at him. I just fell, gravity pulling me down onto the earth like a hand physically pushing me.

I was now able to open my mouth to scream, but I wasn't quick enough.

My head connected with the hard earth—earth that hadn't seen rain in a month—and a blinding pain shot through me. It felt as hard as diamond.

Then the world suddenly flew away from me, and I fell into unconsciousness' dark embrace.

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**I know, rant and rave about the cliffhanger. I'm sorry. Hehe. No, I'm not. MWAHAHAHA.**

_**QUESTION:**_ **So some of my readers are asking for smaller chapters, and I don't know if I should do it. The chapters, as of now, are averaging around 4,500-5,000 words. So you'd have smaller chapters, but a lot more. The updating times probably wouldn't change, to tell you the truth. Is it too much to have these long chapters, or do you like the long chapters?**

**Thanks to **CandyLover4180, phoenixfeather20111, PavLuvsPercyJackson, MeganAnnabethJackson, AutumnLeaves03, PJOisbae134, Jedi1, darkmagician751, rocketgod123, Stella928, INeedAUsername8, awesooooooome, wouldtheywriteasongforyou, bmftas101, Ships, Percabeth12-7, Athna1.4, kuroanimatetaku18, Demigod12, **and the guests for reviewing! **

Jedi1: **Yeah, I thought over that, seeing as Percy does start a lot of the flirtatious actions. But don't worry, I'll add some of Annabeth doing that in the next chapter... so spoiler alert... PERCABETH.**

rocketgod123: **Don't worry, she'll get to meet Hazel and Frank. And I've got 4th of July planned out. :)**

guest: **DON'T DIE. There will be Percabeth! Even if the story didn't have Percabeth, I'd still probably randomly put them in. I mean, who can't? :)**

**Thanks for the reviews! Love you all! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

Apparently my body wouldn't let me be unconscious for long. When I woke up, I still saw the blue sky above me, devoid of clouds, with a really bright ball of yellow and white light that hurt my eyes.

My vision was blurry, but I could see something big standing by me solemnly, and it leaned down a head to but at my shoulder, then nibble it. Wet slobber covered my arm, and I tried to move away, but as I did so, a stab of pain shot fiercely through my head. It felt like my brain was being electrocuted.

Two seconds later, I heard a pounding on the ground. I could feel the vibrations of it on the hard dirt underneath me. Something hard was poking into my shoulder, probably a rock, but I didn't want to move for fear of that pain again.

Another big thing appeared in my vision, which was slowly clearing. The thing was black, and it tossed its head as something on it dismounted. It was a person.

_Percy_. Relief seeped into me. I'll be okay. I just hit my head hard.

It seemed as though my mind was just waiting for me to think that, because all my senses pretty much cleared up then. I could feel the crumbly dirt between my finger tips, the dusty earth smell invading my nose. Percy's features became sharper as he practically flew off Blackjack while the horse was still running.

The boy's green eyes were wide and worried, and as he reached me, he fell to his knees beside me.

"Annabeth, oh gods, are you okay?" he asked frantically, his words almost too fast to make out. "Oh, gods, I should've made you wear that helmet. Can I touch you? Aren't you, like, not supposed to touch someone who's been hurt? Oh, gods. What do I do, what do I do."

His hands were shaking as he reached tentatively out for my shoulders.

I forced myself to a sitting position, carefully so I didn't generate too much pain. As I tried to speak, I found my throat choked up with dust. Coughing to clear it, I said to him with a croaky voice, "I'm fine, just hit my head. And yes, Seaweed Brain, you can touch me. It's not that bad."

A breath released from him in a whoosh as he reached forward and gripped my shoulder protectively, though I didn't know what he was protecting me from. Not like the ground was going to rage up and hit my head again. His other hand came up and tentatively touched my cheek in a soft caress. He looked down at me with furrowed eyebrows. His hair glinted in the sunlight, looking like a deeply tinted window on a clean car. "I'm so sorry, Annabeth."

I took a deep breath, my head still hurting. "'S not your fault." I winced as another bolt of pain went through me. The back of my head felt wet, and I frowned, reaching a hand up to it. When I took it away from my blonde curls, I saw my fingers were scarlet. Percy saw this, too.

"You're bleeding!" he told me, panicking. His hand came up to cup the back of mine.

"It's not gushing out blood, we just need to get back and wipe it off," I said. His hand was gentle, his fingers entangled in my curls.

At that moment, I realized there was another person next to us. Rachel stood beside her horse, watching me and Percy. When Percy saw her, anger grew in his eyes.

"What was that for?" he demanded. I could see his body tense up, and his hand on the back of my skull tightened. "You could've killed her!"

Rachel's lower lip trembled under his fierce gaze. "I—I'm sorry! I didn't know . . . she—"

"You didn't know?" he repeated incredulously, his voice laced with fury. "Come on, Rachel, are you kidding me? I've told you she can't gallop yet, what were you thinking? Actually, you probably weren't thinking at all. You never do, do you?" His words were spitting acid at her, and she cringed, her eyes shifting from me to Percy. When they landed on me, they looked guilty, and on Percy, scared.

Percy's hand on my head got tighter, and it started to throb.

"Percy, I'm sorry!" she said again desperately. She brushed a hand up by her ear to shove away the frizzy red strand that fell in her face. Her green eyes glittered.

Percy just continued snapping at her. "I can't believe you. What's you're problem? You—"

Percy probably would've gone on and on if I hadn't interrupted him. "Percy, stop. It's not all her fault, I could've listened to sense and not done it. And you're kind of hurting my head," I added.

His eyes whipped back to me, and he immediately loosened the pressure on his palm. "Sorry. We need to get you back."

With one last glare at Rachel, who looked down at her feet, he stood up, slipping his arms under my shoulders and knees and bringing me up with him.

"Percy, I can walk. And ride," I said insistently. Not that I wasn't fine with this way of transportation.

"No, you might have a concussion. I'm not going to risk you falling off again."

Once we were near Blackjack, Percy lifted me up as if I weighed nothing. I slung my foot around the back of the saddle. When I straightened up, the world started to spin. I clutched the saddle in front of me, my breath coming in quick gasps. Percy swung up, settling into the saddle. He grabbed my hands, but he had a hard time getting them off of the saddle. They were holding on so hard the knuckles were bone-white. But he soothed them to let go, then slid them around his waist so I could hold on.

"Rachel, get Porkpie," he said to his girlfriend. It was the nicest thing he had said to her so far, but it still came out harsh and short. I couldn't see her reaction, my face was pushed into the warm back Percy's dark t-shirt.

"Percy, you shouldn't be so hard on her," I told him, making my head sideways so I could talk.

He sighed. "She made you do it, and she knew you weren't ready."

"Well, yes . . . but still, things happen, okay?"

He didn't answer, he just turned Blackjack around and started to head back home. I heard Rachel following us from behind. With every step, a spark of pain leapt up in my head. For the whole ride, I just clenched my eyes shut and tried to ignore it. Instead, I counted the steps, hoping that would provide a distraction, but it didn't work. I lost count at one hundred twenty-two. Frequently, Percy would look over his shoulder and ask if I was doing okay. Each time I reassured him I was fine, but he continued to do it. After what seemed like hours, we finally came into the view of the paddock, and farther down, the barn and house. The sun shone upon us, and sweat started sliding down my spine, the feeling similar to a slithering snake, causing me to shudder.

"You okay?" Percy asked as he felt me shiver.

Sighing, I said, "I'm _fine._"

We got closer to the stables, and I saw Poseidon out there, fixing something on the wall of the house. He had a screwdriver in his hands, and a tool belt with lots of pockets. When he saw us, he raised a hand in greeting. But as we approached him, I could see a frown as his eyes landed on the riderless Porkpie. When he saw me slumped against Percy's back, he dropped the screwdriver and hurried over.

"Dad—she fell, her head's hurt—," Percy started. Poseidon put his hands up for me, and Percy helped me slide into them. The older man set me on my feet, then inspected the back of my head.

"I'll have to clean it." His words were firm, steady. It was weird how so much comfort and calm could come from one adult. It was as if his voice had pushed back most of my panic, and now I could breathe deeply.

"Percy, take care of the horses with Rachel, I'll take Annabeth inside," Poseidon said.

"No, I want to stay with Annabeth—"

"Annabeth will be fine. You can come see her after you've finished with the horses."

Percy bit his lower lip, looking at me with concern.

"I'll be fine, Percy. Help Rachel," I said firmly to him, glancing briefly at the red-haired girl who hadn't said anything. Percy sighed, then dismounted, yanking Porkpie's reins from Rachel's grip and leading the horses quickly into the barn. Rachel followed him dejectedly.

"I can walk," I said. Poseidon pursed his lips, but he let me walk, offering his arm for support. Slowly we made it to the house, every step jarring my head in agony. Poseidon opened the front door and ushered me in. The air condition folded around me, making me breathe a sigh of ecstasy as I made my way to the kitchen. Plopping onto a seat, I laid my head in my hands and massaged my temples. I was somewhat aware of Poseidon going to wet a towel with warm water, then he came back and started to softly wipe the blood away from the back of my head. It was easier since it was at the base of my skull, so my hair didn't get in the way too much.

It took a little while, though. The only sound was the occasional running of the sink as Poseidon rinsed out the rag, or my gasps of pain as he got close to the wound.

A ways into it, the front door opened and Percy rushed in, immediately sitting next to me and putting a comforting hand on my back. I managed a smile for him, and he returned it, albeit half-heartedly. I was glad he was here—friends were a big comfort, and Percy had become a closer friend than a lot of my others. Don't get me wrong, I had quite a few friends, but we weren't ever close, except for Piper. But really, what I categorized as "friend" was someone I could talk comfortably with. However, Percy was closer than that. But still just a _friend_.

"Rachel went home early," Percy said. Poseidon nodded, but Percy's tone made me wonder if he had made her go home.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Poseidon asked softly.

I took a deep, shaky breath, my eyelids squeezing together tightly as if I could make the pain go away by not seeing anything. Percy started to talk.

"We were riding, and Rachel—"

"It was my fault," I said quickly, interrupting Percy. His green eyes looked at me sharply, frowning, and was about to talk but I continued before he could. "I wanted to see if I could gallop, so I tried, but apparently I'm not ready for that yet. I stopped Porkpie, but got unbalanced and fell."

Percy stared at me, eyebrows furrowed, wondering why I'd lie. To be honest, I didn't quite know myself. It was Rachel's fault, but I also took the bait. I guess I just didn't want any more drama. I was tired and wanted to just wash up and go to bed.

Poseidon finally finished. "I can't really stick a bandage on there, but it's not too bad. You won't need stitches or anything, but don't move your head or you might reopen the wound. I think you might have a concussion, but it'll be pretty light, nothing major. You'll just have some small headaches."

"You can check that off," I grumbled, rubbing my eyes.

He gazed down at me sympathetically. "Do you need anything?"

I shook my head. "No, but thanks. Also, thanks for patching me up. I think I just want to shower and then hit the hay."

He nodded, giving me a small smile. "Do you want me to call your mom, tell her what happened and—"

"No!" I cut him off frantically. He and his son turned a curious gaze onto me. I gulped, stammering, "Uh, I'll, uh—I'll call her later. Yeah." There was no way I was going to tell my mom about this. She'd rant and rave about how stupid I was, and that I needed to stay safe if I wanted the part in this upcoming movie and blah.

Poseidon's a eyebrows drew together, but he nodded. "Percy, help her up, will you?"

"Of course," Percy agreed swiftly. He stood, pushing his barstool back and held out a hand for me. I took it, my head protesting as I moved, but Percy kept a steadying hand on my arm as I stepped up the stairs. We reached my door, and Percy shouldered it open.

"You good?" he asked once we were in.

I dipped my head, heading over to grab some clean clothes before I went to the shower.

"You sure?" he said again as I made my way to my bathroom. "There's nothing I can do?"

I paused, looking at him in amusement. "Percy, unless you want to give me a shower, then no. I'm good."

He cheeks got red. "I meant—yeah, okay. I'll just . . . uh, goodbye."

I watched with a smile as he turned and headed back towards the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder ,offering me a smile as well, then ran into the wall. His cheeks looked similar to a tomato as he shifted his direction, making it out the door this time. I watched him go, giggling, then walked into the bathroom.

The warm shower felt nice. Normally I'd take a cold one, since it was so hot outside, but now I was cold. The sweat seemed to have become cool on me now, and the air conditioning in the house blew a relentless stream of freezing air out.

I was careful with my injury, washing as much of my hair as I could. It was difficult, but I soon got out of the shower, changing into grey sweats and an orange shirt that had a few Greek words on it. It was my favorite shirt, though I didn't know why. I just had always had it, and when I grew out of it, I got a bigger one made.

Slinging my hair into a high messy bun to get it out of the cut, I headed back into my room, yawning. I saw that the time was only seven. I hadn't eaten, but I wasn't hungry, so I just fell onto the comfy bed, sighing from the day.

Suddenly the phone rang. My cell phone. My heart started to contract as I listened to the tune pounding against my mind. It was probably my mom, and when I picked it up, it would be worse than one of Mrs. Weasley's howlers, if you can believe it.

I didn't want to listen to my mom. My head was already throbbing painfully, she'd just make worse. Our conversations always conjured up a headache for me.

But I had ignored so many of her calls recently, and if I didn't pick up, I didn't know what she'd do. With a growl, I snatched the phone up, jabbing the talk button and pressing it to my ear, determined to make this quick.

I talked before she could. "Look, mom, I know you want to boss me around and all, but I really don't feel like it. For once could you just back off as give me a break. I mean—"

A voice cut me off. "Uh, sorry. I just wanted to see how everything was going."

That was _not_ my mom's voice. That was a male voice. One that was somewhat familiar.

I frowned. "Who is this?"

"Luke. Luke Castellan."

_Oh, gods._ I pulled the phone away from my ear to glance at the caller. I hadn't even looked there when I picked up. Sure enough, it was unknown number. I'm so stupid.

My face heated abruptly. That was beyond humiliating. I was so glad he couldn't see me, he'd probably ask who squirted ketchup all over my face.

"Oh, Luke . . . Um, sorry," I said weakly. This was so embarrassing. "How did you get my number."

"From your mom, her and my agent are talking about the upcoming movie. You're auditioning, right?"

I swallowed. What was mom doing giving him my number? Well, I can't say I didn't like it. Just listening to Luke's husky and deep voice made my girly side go absolutely insane. My knees felt weak, but I didn't know why. I was laying on my bed, not standing up.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

"Sweet. I hope we get to work together." He sounded genuine.

My face felt like a stove. "Me too."

An awkward silence arose.

"So, how's the lessons?"

"You know?" I asked him, surprised. I thought everybody thought I was at Caribbean island or something like that. I can't remember.

"Yeah. Again, your mom. How are they?"

"Uh, fine. Great, actually, I love horses. And I have a great trainer." An image of Percy with his lopsided grin came into my mind.

"Uh, hey, I gotta go. But can you have my mom call me?" I told him, not wanting to stop the call but knowing I had to talk to my mom.

"Yeah, sure thing. It was nice talking with you, Annabeth, and hopefully I can see you soon," he said. I could hear a smile in his voice.

"Hopefully," I agreed. "Goodbye, Luke."

"Goodbye."

The line went dead. I flipped onto my back, wincing slightly at my head. But I hadn't felt that all during the conversation. Elation rose in me, making me giddy. Oh, gods._ I just talked with Luke Castellan. He wants to see me soon. _It was all I could do to not squeal like a girl. Over the past few weeks, it had seemed like my crush on Luke had gone down a bit, but now all that came back. Girls were so weird—one minute we're like, "I don't like him anymore." Then we have a tiny conversation with him and we're back to "Oh, my gods, he's amazing and perfect. I love him so much," and all those feelings come roaring back in a flash flood.

But before I let myself get too happy, I reminded myself that I still had to deal with my mom.

A minute later, my phone rang again. This time I checked before I picked up, but it was who I expected.

"Really, mom?" I demanded right after I picked up.

"What?" she said.

"You gave him my number, probably so I'd start answering my calls," I said. "Well, guess what? I picked up, thinking it was you, and started yelling at him. Thanks. Thanks a lot."

"Well, you should've looked at the caller," she replied. "Now, why haven't you been returning my calls?"

I exhaled. "I've been busy."

She scoffed into the phone. "Don't lie to me, young lady. Why are you ignoring your mother?"

"Because!" I said suddenly, sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of my bed, looking at the waning sunlight outside. "Because every time I _do_ pick up, all you do is yell at me and boss me around!"

"Maybe if you picked up more, I would be better."

"Ha, funny, mom," I said, my voice poisonous. "Just face it. All you do is control me."

"And look where that has gotten you!" she shouted. "You're a world-wide known actress with an amazing life and wealth beyond belief! This is all you've ever wanted!"

"No, this is all _you've_ ever wanted," I replied my voice shaky. "Yes, I do love acting, and yes, I don't have much to complain about with my life. But sometimes I just want to stop and enjoy my life. I'm a teenager, mom! Let me live my life while I can!"

"Teenagers would kill to be in your place," she insisted, her voice grating on my ears.

"Yeah, until they got here. Then they'd probably become suicidal from the pressure the world puts on you, the stress that slams your shoulders everyday, and the controlling bossy mother that more often than not seems to not love you."

She was quiet for a second. "That's _not_ true."

"Really, mom?" I spat into the receiver. Even I was surprised from my tone. I had wanted to say these words for so long, but I found no pleasure in it. In fact, I could feel my eyes getting wet, and I blinked rapidly. "You know what? I should thank you for sending me here. It's been one of the best summers of my life so far. I actually am surrounded by people who care. I have so many new friends, good ones. And Poseidon and Percy are nice to me, opposite of you. Percy always makes me laugh, not frown or get angry like it always happens when I talk to you."

"Annabeth, stop these thoughts. They'll do you no good. And I expect an apology for the words you've just spoken to your mother."

I let out a muffled groan. This was so frustrating, and my head was in unbelievable pain. It was screaming at me, making everything go fuzzy. I could feel something wet slide down my cheek, and I wiped at it furiously.

"You need to start acting more mature, and be more respectful, young lady. If—"

I couldn't take it anymore. If she kept nagging at me, I would throw myself out the window. She was the one slamming the hammer onto the nail that was piercing my head in excruciating agony.

I pulled the phone away from my ear, then chucked it as hard as I could at the wall. I watched in satisfaction as it hit the dry wood, denting it and cracking the glass on the phone. The screen went black and I could picture my mom yelling curses at me even though I wasn't listening. I pushed myself to the end of the bed, my back leaning against the headboard.

Pulling my knees up to my chest, I hugged them and let the tears fall. I hated my life. I wanted to be normal, not some crazy big star. Wanted to have a normal day, without anyone asking me for an autograph or a picture. I couldn't go anywhere without someone recognizing me and start to spread the word.

That's why this summer was heaven. I had gotten a break from all that.

A knocking cut through the fog in my brain, insistent and hard as it continued.

"Annabeth?" I could hear Percy on the other side of my door. "Annabeth, are you okay? Why were you yelling? And what was that thud?"

"Go away, Percy," I called out, my vision blurry from the excess water in my eyes. But my voice cracked, and I swore in my mind.

The knocking paused. "Annabeth?" His voice was softer. He had heard my voice. "Are you crying? Annabeth, please let me in."

I looked tiredly at the door. "Percy, I said go away."

"I'm not leaving if you're crying, Wise Girl."

I closed my eyes briefly, my head falling back against the hard wood, knowing he would stay true to his words. "The door's unlocked, idiot."

"Oh." His voice was sheepish. I rolled my eyes, but my smile didn't make it this time.

The door opened, and Percy walked in, shutting it behind him. He looked at me, huddled in a fetal position and crying on the bed.

"Annabeth, what's wrong?" His kind voice made me want to cry harder.

"Nothing," I said firmly, wiping my face hard to try to make myself stop crying.

Percy was next to me in less than a second, grabbing my wrist to make me stop rubbing my face so hard. He sat next to me, his back against the headboard as well, moving his grip so he was holding my hand instead. His eyes were so full of concern, so empathetic even though he didn't know what was bothering me.

Slowly, his face started to get blurry as my tears built up again. Usually I hated crying in front of people—it made me look weak. But something in Percy's eyes made me okay with it. It made me feel that I could do anything, he wouldn't care.

The first tear slipped over the edge, falling down my face like a person down a cliff, and I squeezed my grey eyes shut. I felt two arms go around me, and I leaned into Percy's hug. He pulled my legs up, putting them on the other side of his legs so he could hold me closer. I buried myself in his chest. He was supported by the headboard, and I was being supported by him—and not just physically.

"Hey, it's okay," he whispered against my hair soothingly. His thumb rubbed tiny circles on my back, seeming to make me cry all my tears out until my eyes were dry, and crying was like dry-heaving—it hurt, and it felt like I was tearing up, but nothing was happening.

I leaned back, wiping under my eyes and sniffling, my nose stuffed up. "I'm sorry," I said, then added, chuckling a bit. "I bet you probably didn't want to spend fifteen minutes holding a sobbing girl."

He smiled, making me happier instantly. "It's fine. If it made you feel better, then I'd do it any day."

_Gods, Percy. Why do you have to be so darn adorable? It makes the whole not liking you think a lot harder. _

I was about to say something, but my words were interrupted by a yawn. Exhaustion was creeping up into me, but I still didn't feel too swell. When Percy had held me still, I had been able to dull the headache, but it was back full force now. I shifted my legs, them still draped over Percy's, my knees on his lap. The pillows on my bed were lounging about, one in between Percy's lower back and the hard wood behind him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked carefully, looking at my eyes. His hand came up, and he gently wiped away the dregs of the tears.

I took a deep, unsteady breath. "It's—it's just my mom. She's so frustrating." I told him about our conversation, how I kept yelling at her, but she didn't think anything of my words except that I was being disrespectful and needed to grow up. I didn't tell him about talking with Luke—that conversation didn't mean too much. To Percy, at least. However, thinking now that I had just talked to Luke and realized that my crush on him hadn't faded at all, and then adding my weird feelings for Percy, it was a complicated order, complete with a huge headache as the cherry on top. Yippee.

After I had told Percy, he was silent for a little bit, thinking. I hadn't really ever told someone about my rocky relationship with my mom. Malcolm knew, but he always took my side. That didn't change my mom from loving him—he was her perfect child. He's already big in business, and successful, and unlike her other child, he loved what he did and had no complaints. Gods, I missed him so much right now.

"She loves you," Percy said suddenly. "She has to. What kind of mother doesn't love her child?"

"Obviously not yours. Sally loves you so much. Sometimes I'm so jealous of you."

"You've got an amazing life. Otherwise you wouldn't have turned out as amazing as you are right now. Besides, jealousy is a bad emotion, right? Look where it got Rachel."

I sighed. "I still don't see why she's jealous. There's nothing to be envious of."

Percy scoffed. "You kidding me? She could go on and on about how she wants to be as popular as you, or have fans like you, or money or beauty or blah blah blah."

_Yeah, but she has _you_. That should make up for everything_.

"Well, if she had it, then she'd wish she didn't," I muttered.

"Look on the bright side of things," he said. "If you weren't a big movie star, then you might not have met me. The world for you would be charcoal black without my sparkling personality."

I laughed, high and unexpected. It felt so weird, since I was just moping around, and now I was getting lighter. This boy.

"See. You're happier already," he said, smiling. His hands were warm around my waist, and they sent tingles through me, clashing with my throbbing head.

"Well, that's only because you're here," I said honestly. Then I blushed at my words, looking down at my hands in my lap.

Percy chuckled. "I'm honored, Wise Girl. What else is bothering you, so that I might relieve you of your pains, madam?"

I smiled, then winced. "My head hurts. If this is a small headache, I must have an extremely tiny pain tolerance."

He leaned forward, coming close and placing his lips on my forehead, as soft as a butterfly but affecting me more this a raging bonfire. I stared at him.

"All better now," he said, smiling. I returned it.

Another yawn escaped my lips. My brain was falling asleep, and I welcomed that, knowing for at least a few hours I would be able to escape from the mind—numbing pain. Literally.

"You should get some sleep, Annabeth," Percy said. He started to sit up, but I didn't budge my legs, making him unable to move.

"Please stay," I whispered sluggishly. I know I shouldn't have said that, but it felt so good to be here with Percy, and I didn't want to lose that. My eyes were half-lidded, but I saw Percy's bright green eyes flash up to mine, a question in them, one that I didn't bother to answer.

"Please," I repeated. "Just for a little bit—until I fall asleep."

Percy looked at me, his gaze soft.

"Okay, Wise Girl."

With that, he settled back down against the backboard, and I laid my head onto his hard and warm chest, reveling in the feeling of being so close to him. All of what Jason had told me, and Rachel's words—they rushed to me, shoving their contents into my brain.

But I didn't care. I just wanted to fall asleep in Percy's arms, snuggled against his chest. His fingers played idly with my curls, and I could feel the rise and fall of his upper body with each breath. Whenever I blinked, my eyelash fluttered against Percy's shirt.

He shouldn't be doing this. Why wasn't he pushing me away? Why was I, as Jason told me, leading Percy down a road that had a dead end? I couldn't help it. I just couldn't.

The sun had fallen, and it was dark outside and in the room. Percy was quiet, hugging me tightly to him, his head resting on top of mine. My hands clenched his shirt as sleep started to overtake me.

Despite everything that had just happened, from the fall to the fight, all in one day, this was the most calm I had felt in forever. Just laying here, in quietude with Percy, I felt like everything would be okay.

With a small smile in my face, I drifted once more into unconsciousness, like I had earlier this afternoon, but this unconsciousness was much better.

The smell of ocean and _Percy_ filled my nose, and I breathed deeply. My vision was darkening, and the last things I saw were Percy's sea-green eyes watching me with an expression I couldn't recognize. Nonetheless, sleep took over and my eyelids dragged themselves down, cutting off my sight. I held tight to Percy like I would lose him, falling into nothingness.

* * *

**Aww, Percabeth is adorable. :)**

**Okay, so the vote was that everybody liked the long chapters, so I'll stick with that! Thanks for replying! :)**

**So there was a ton of reviewers, and I LOVE YOU ALL. Thank you so much! I'd love to write all the names down here, but I only have ten minutes left on the computer, so I don't know if I'd finish, then you'd have to wait till this afternoon to get the chappie... and I feel like you deserve a chapter after the last cliffhanger. :) So I'm just going to answer some questions! :)**

**Q&amp;A **

Nico Di Awesome: **Yeah, that's kind of what is holding her back. She won't be able to see him later. And Rachel, of course. Also, yes, I ride horses, my family has four and I go with my sisters all the time. :)**

the boltguard: **Okay, so I sat for like five minutes laughing my head off at your review . . . it was awesome. :)**

rocketgod123: **Well, nature is weird. There can be a violent storm, and then nothing for the next two months. It's super unpredictable, therefore easy to write with, so I'm just going with the story that the tornado was the start of a big drought or the end of a rainy season. :)**

Jedi1: **Rachel isn't exactly trying to embarrass Annabeth—well, that's a part—but she's more like trying to prove to Percy that she's better than Annabeth, because she knows she can beat Annabeth. Remember, she's jealous of Annabeth, so she wants to hold onto something that will make Percy see she is still better.**

Stella928: **Yes, Percy is so oblivious. But that's what makes him so dang adorable.**

**Thanks for the reviews again! Enjoy! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Important author's note at the end! Enjoy chapter 11! :)**

* * *

That was the best night of sleep I had gotten in a long time. When I woke up, I felt totally calm and relaxed, like nothing was wrong. The birds chirped cheerfully outside, and the early morning sun shone in through my windows. The air was chilly, but I was warm. The covers must've been helping me.

However, I soon realized it wasn't the covers. When I went to move, I realized what I was laying on was rising and falling, and then my ears picked up something more than just birds. Breathing. Not mine. I moved my legs, only to realize they were tangled with another pair.

With a yelp, I shoved at the body in my bed, leaping back. I had shoved hard enough that the person went flying off the bed, landing on the floor with a _thump_ that I winced at. I waited, my breath suddenly racing.

"Ow," the person said.

My heart had started to calm. At first I hadn't recognized who I was laying in bed with, and that scared me. I'd been in Hollywood long enough to know that if someone caught a movie star in bed with a random person, that would be on the news for about a week, with at least one life ruined by it.

"Gods, woman," Percy continued, sitting up on the other side of the bed. He was just tall enough so I could see his head, his black hair sticking out in every single way in an endearing bed head. "First you wake me up with a shoe, now it's shoving me off your bed. I pity your future husband."

"Percy!" I said, yelling but keeping my voice muffled as best as I could. "What are you doing here?"

He replied through a yawn. "You're the one who told me to stay."

I face-palmed. "Until I fell asleep. Not the _whole_ night, you idiot!"

He stood up, stretching. "We didn't do anything, just slept in the same bed, relax." Then he paused, frowning. "We didn't do anything, right?"

Another face-palm. "No. We did not do anything, thank the gods. Ugh, I'm so stupid!" I said, thinking out loud. Then I turned to him. "You have a girlfriend, you can't go sleeping with other girls!"

His eyebrows furrowed and he pursed his lips. "Oh, yeah. I forgot."

I raised an eyebrow. "You forgot about your girlfriend?"

He held up his hands defensively, his green eyes bright. "Hey, it's early. Don't expect me to remember everything, Wise Girl."

I groaned, getting up and pacing around. "We can't let anybody know you spent the night in my room. Don't tell anybody," I demanded, giving him a stern look.

"Alright, alright," he said. He pushed his hands up, stretching. As he did so, he shirt lifted to reveal a tanned line of stomach, the "v" of his hipbones visible. I turned my eyes away, blushing.

"Besides," he continued. "Nothing happened."

I rubbed my temples. The headache from last night was mostly gone, now receding to just a full throb. "I know. Just—go to your room, and make sure no one sees you."

He scoffed. "Yeah, the _one_ person that lives here."

I rolled my eyes. "Just go."

He started to go to the door, but stopped to look at me. "Did you at least have a good night sleep?"

"Yes, Seaweed Brain," I told him impatiently. "It's just that—we can't do that. You have a girlfriend, and I . . . well, I—"

"Rachel doesn't have to know about last night. And even if she found out, she can't do anything without labeling herself a huge hypocrite." Percy's tone had turned bitter, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" I asked.

Percy took a deep breath, not meeting my eyes for a few seconds. When he did at last, it was as if he hadn't said anything like he just did. His eyes danced mirthfully. "I don't know why you're so embarrassed, though."

"I'm not, Percy. Now go before someone sees us."

"Unless," he said, smirking and tapping his chin thoughtfully. "You actually did want something to happen."

I glared at him. "Get. Out." He just stood there, cracking up, so I threw a pillow at him. He caught it easily.

"Fine! It was just a joke. I'm leaving," he said, still chortling. I watched him as he headed to the door.

He peeked out into the hallway, then stepped out of my room. Grabbing the knob, he was about to close it when he paused, saying, "Wise Girl?"

I turned back to him, having been about to go to my closet.

He grinned cheekily, the lopsided smile making my heart skip a beat. "Good morning."

I rolled my eyes. "Good morning, Seaweed Brain. Now go!" I shooed him with a smile, and he obediently shut my door. I heard him enter his own room and I sighed, plopping onto the bed.

_I shouldn't have done that. But it's not like anyone knows, so I think we're safe_.

Yawning, I stood up and went to put some jeans, taking out my hair so that it fell in curls around my shoulders. Poseidon was at the table, and so was Percy. The latter was eating Fruit Loops while his dad was reading a book. As I came in, he greeted me with a smile.

"Good morning, Annabeth," Poseidon said. "Hope you had a good night's sleep."

I smiled, grabbing a bowl and sitting next to Percy. "I had an amazing night of sleep, thank you."

Next to me, Percy smirked into his bowl, muttering loud enough for us to hear, "Not as amazing as she was probably hoping."

My cheeks turned red and I slapped his arm, glowering. He bit his lip, stifling chuckles.

Poseidon's looked at me. "I heard quite a bit of moving upstairs last night. Was everything okay?"

I nodded quickly. "Yeah, I just—I called my mom. And we didn't really have a . . . nice conversation."

He dipped his head. "I understand. But everything's okay?"

"Thanks to Percy."

"Ah, yes. I heard him go to your room last night. I hope he helped with your mom." Poseidon paused, a twinkle in his eyes as he shifted his gaze to stare down at his coffee, swirling it slightly. "Though I don't quite remember Percy coming back out."

Percy paused eating, glancing at me while I cursed under my breath. "Uh, no—," I stammered. "He didn't, um, we—"

"Nothing happened," Percy said firmly. "I just accidentally fell asleep."

Poseidon was trying to hide a smile. "Okay, I believe you two."

"Just please don't—," I said, not wanting word to get out.

"My lips are sealed. Though it's not as bad, I mean, you're just friends," Poseidon said.

Well, I knew that. I had been reminding myself over and over again that Percy and I were "just friends."

We all settled into an awkward silence, the only sound being the sips of coffee and the crunching of cereal. This was great.

Percy finished his cereal, then said, "I'm gonna go get the horses ready. We'll probably go on a trail ride today."

I nodded. "Okay, I'll be right out." He nodded, flashing me a smile before going out the door. I stuck my mug in the dishwasher, about to follow him when I paused, a thought striking me.

"Poseidon?" I asked tentatively. When he grunted, I took that as a sign to continue. Shuffling slightly, I said hesitantly, "Why don't you like Rachel?"

He froze, his eyes coming up to meet mine sharply. "What?"

I but my lip, uncomfortable. "It's just that . . . Well, right now, you know what happened last night. Nothing happened!" I rushed on. "Just, you know—anyways, you didn't really care. And Sally didn't seem to care when I . . . talked to her either. Normally I'd think the parents would be making sure the boyfriend stayed true, but you don't really, so it just sort of makes me think that you don't like Rachel." The last part came out as a sort of mumbling. My cheeks were red, and I hated that I even brought up the subject.

Poseidon sighed. "I don't want to give off a wrong vibe. I don't hate Rachel. I just . . . she lost my trust, as the parent of her boyfriend."

I waited, but he didn't seem to be going any further. However, this time I didn't push down my curiosity. "Can I ask why?"

Poseidon took a deep breath and leaned on the counter, lips pursed as he contemplated. "Half a year ago. Percy went to her house to surprise them on their thirteenth month anniversary, and he found her with another guy."

My jaw dropped. Rachel had _cheated_ on Percy? Rage boiled up inside of me instantly. All the hate I had currently harbored for her and tried to get rid of flashed in, overflowing my brain. Why in Hades would she do that? I wanted to punch that stupid girl for hurting Percy. Though what Percy said earlier, about her being a hypocrite, made sense now.

"Why did he stay with her?" I asked, surprised to find my voice wasn't bitter. Emotions were going crazy in me—hatred for Rachel, sympathy for Percy, confusion as to why they were still going out.

"She pleaded with him after he stormed off in complete fury. He was broken. But he believed her, her saying that she didn't mean any of it. I think she learned from her mistake, but I don't trust her yet. However, Percy is extremely loyal, and he stayed that way. He didn't want things to end between him and Rachel. So he kept it, despite the disapproval of his parents. Though Sally and I are struggling to come to terms with his decision."

I nodded. "I guess you could give him advice, you two being a spouses before. About perseverance and trust and all that. I mean, you two are still great friends."

Poseidon looked at me. He seemed like he wanted to contradict what I said, but he stopped himself before he spoke, and switched to, "You're most likely wondering why I told you all of this. Especially since it was probably Percy's place to tell you."

I hopped to my other foot, hands clasped behind my back. "Yeah, I was kind of wondering that."

"Well," he said, giving me a smile, "ever since what happened with Rachel, Percy's kind of been uptight and quiet. But since you've been here, he's lightened up. You've made him laugh in the past month more than he has in the past year, including the times that he was going smoothly with Rachel. You're a good friend, and he needs one of those. Sure he's got Jason and Leo, and Grover, who you haven't met yet but he's off on some wilderness thing, but they aren't exactly the kind of friends that he needs right now. He needs a friend that will support him through anything. And I think he's happy to let you fill that position."

I grinned. "And I'm more than happy to fulfill it."

Poseidon returned my grin. "So yes, I care about my son's relationship, but I care about him more than that. I want him to be happy. That's why I want him to stick with you, Annabeth."

I felt my cheeks heat up, and I felt a burst of privilege at that. He gave me a warm smile, and I flashed it back at him.

"Thank you, Poseidon," I said.

He shook his head. "No. Thank you."

With one last smile, I headed back to the door, slipping on my boots and waving goodbye to Poseidon. My mind was swimming with this new information.

For some reason, Poseidon's last words made me extremely happy. I wanted to help Percy. I loved to see that lopsided smile light up his face, and if I could help it, I was going to make it stay there. I'd be that supportive friend for as I could, even though I'd have to leave soon.

"There you are, Wise Girl." I realized I was in the stable, having walked out absentmindedly to it. I turned to the voice seeing a saddled Porkpie and Blackjack. Percy was waiting by them.

"Did my dad talk you to death?" he asked, only half-jokingly.

I laughed. "No, it's fine." He smiled, and I thought about Rachel. I really couldn't understand why she would even think about doing anything with any other boy. How could she not be satisfied with Percy? He was amazing, and she said so herself. I mean, we all make some mistakes, but I was just mad her mistake had to affect Percy.

"Why're you looking at me weird?" Percy asked, eyebrow raised.

I noticed I was staring. "Um, I was looking at your hat."

It was close to the face, so it was partially true. Percy frowned, gesturing to his cowboy hat on his head. I nodded.

"Well, do you like it?" he asked.

My head dipped. "Of course! I love cowboy hats."

He smiled crookedly. "Good thing, otherwise I would've gotten this for no reason."

At the word "this", he reached behind Porkpie to the railing, and when he pulled his hand back, clutched in it was a brand new, black and shiny cowboy hat.

I gaped. "Are you for real?"

He grinned. "I think so."

I shrieked, throwing myself at him. He laughed, returning the hug. When I leaned back, he smiled and stuck the hat on my head. I felt it on my curls, and I had to tip my head back to see him.

"Now you're a real cowgirl," he told me quietly.

My smile was wide. "Thanks, Percy. For everything." My words really did imply everything. For helping me learn how to ride horses, for comforting me last night, and for the hat.

Without really thinking, I pushed myself on my tiptoes and bent my neck to kiss his cheek, angling my head so he didn't knock my hat off. Percy's grin grew wider. if that's even possible.

"If I get a kiss every time, I might just have to go buy more hats," he said jokingly. I rolled my eyes, shoving him slightly.

"Your welcome, Wise Girl," he told me, green eyes sparkling. "Though I'm happy to do anything for you."

Gods, this boy.

Rachel didn't deserve. I don't think any girl deserved him. He deserved the world, but he didn't know that.

That's what made him so darn adorable. Well, that and his lopsided grin that made my heart fluttery.

* * *

I woke up two days later to the smell of pancakes. My stomach rumbled, and I took in a huge draft of air, savoring the scent. Sally must be here. With a grin, I threw myself out of bed, running downstairs. I loved Sally and the company she gave. She was the only female I had contact with, other than Rachel, at the ranch, and I cherished that. I wanted so badly for my friend Piper to come down and I hoped she could soon.

Like I predicted, Sally was in the kitchen, humming a tune as she flipped blue pancakes at the stove.

"Good morning, Sally!" I said brightly, hopping into the kitchen. She turned, a smile on her face. We hugged briefly, and when we leaned back, she was looking at me concernedly.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "I heard about the fall, and you got a concussion, right?"

I shrugged. "The concussion wasn't too bad. I've just had a few headaches. But I think I'm alright. The cut has scabbed up, and it's healing pretty quickly, so no worries there."

"Well, that's good news. Let's celebrate with a pancake, shall we?"

I laughed, taking a seat at the counter. "I can't think of any better way." She plopped a pancake on a plate, and I drizzled syrup on it. When I took a bite, butter and sweet and sticky syrup and fluffy dough exploded in my mouth, and it was one of the best things ever. "You're pancakes are so good, Sally. I envy Percy, who gets to have these all the time."

She smiled. "Thank you, Annabeth. And Percy might not get one if he doesn't get his lazy butt out of bed. Would you mind running and getting him for breakfast real quick?" I shook my head, quickly scooping one more bite in before standing up and jogging over to the stairs. I took them two at a time, the messy bun on my head sliding about. I approached Percy's door and knocked. When he didn't answer, I knocked again.

Still no answer. He was probably asleep. "I'm coming in, Percy," I called, giving him a warning. Putting my hand on the knob, I opened the door.

I hadn't really been in Percy's room too much. We were always downstairs or outside. It was a messy room, which was expected for a teenage boy—clothes strewn about, the bedcovers ruffled, and the drawers pulled out. His walls were blue, but otherwise the room was identical to mine. Same shape and size, closet in the same corner. The bathroom was on the back side too. As I looked at it, the bathroom door opened up, and Percy came out.

In boxers. That was it. His hair was wet, so he had apparently just taken a shower.

I yelped, bringing my hand up to slap my face, covering my eyes. "Percy!"

"Oh, hey, Annabeth," he said. I could hear his footsteps as he moved to his drawers.

"Put some clothes on!" I screeched. "Gods, I'm standing right here."

His footsteps came again, and I felt his presence near me. "Aw, come on, Wise Girl. You know you want to look." I scowled, shoving my hand out to where I guessed he was from his voice. I missed, and I had thrown my hand forcefully enough that my momentum carried me into a hard naked chest.

Percy chuckled. "Well, if you just want to skip the looking part, okay then."

I huffed, peeking through my fingers to regain my bearings again. "Sally is here, and she made pancakes. She sent me up to get you, but now I'm leaving. And get some pants on."

"I'm covered, jeez." I heard him retreat, and rolling my eyes, I backed out of the room. I heard Percy laughing as I ran down the hall. My brain couldn't get the image of Percy out of my head. I mean, not that that was too horrible. He didn't have a bad body.

_Stop, stop, stop. _I settled into my seat at the counter once more, trying to ignore what just happened.

Sally glanced at me from by the sink. "You look a little flushed. Did you take the stairs too fast?"

At her words, my cheeks grew hotter. "I'm fine." She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. I ate in silence for about ten seconds before someone came into the house from the front door.

I turned, expecting Poseidon, but getting Paul instead. I had met Paul before, he was a pretty nice guy. He greeted me with a warm smile, and I returned it. After giving Sally a quick kiss, she asked, "Did you bring it?"

He nodded. I frowned, saying, "Bring what?"

Paul turned to me. His salt-and-pepper hair flashed in the kitchen light. "Something for Percy."

My interest was peaked, but before I could ask what, Percy came tromping down the stairs.

"Don't be so loud on the stairs, Percy," Sally chided, getting him a plate full of pancakes. "You're going to break them."

"Pfft," Percy said, smirking and sitting next to me. I didn't meet his eyes. "No I won't. I'm not _that _heavy mom. But if I keep eating your pancakes I will be."

"Are you going to stop eating the pancakes?" she asked.

He grinned lopsidedly. "Nope." She sent her eyes to the ceiling, and Paul grinned.

"Good morning, Percy," he said.

Percy nodded. "'Morning, Paul. Why're you and mom here?"

His mom and stepdad exchanged a glance, and Paul said. "Actually, we have to talk to you."

Percy paused, his fork freezing on the way to his mouth. "What did I do now?"

I snorted as Sally laughed. "No, Percy. We have something for you."

"Okay," Percy said slowly. "Though my birthday is in August . . ."

"Yes, we know," she said. "But just think of this as an early birthday present." She started heading outside, Paul in tow. Percy and I looked at each other confusedly, then we followed them, stepping into the morning sun. It was cooler today than the rest of the days, and everybody was excited to hear that the heat spell might be broken soon, for the forecast was predicting rain later this week. I was so grateful—I think I've sweated enough in the past couple months.

We stopped at Paul's car, an old Prius. Paul opened the door, and something jumped out.

It was a small something, small and furry. It let out a tiny bark, and started running around.

"We think every ranch needs a dog, and we just had a litter of puppies," Sally said with a smile. "So why don't you have this one?"

Percy's jaw had dropped and he watched the puppy run around, barking in a high-pitch at random things. It had a dark grey coat, and it was a mastiff. It's energy level looked high.

"Her name is Mrs. O'Leary," Sally told her son. "And I think she'll fit in great here."

Percy grinned widely, giving his mom a hug and Paul as well. "Thanks, mom!"

She laughed. "Have fun catching her. She's pretty fast."

Percy waved a hand dismissively, the grin still stuck to his face. "Ah, we'll get her, right, Annabeth?"

I held up a hand. "Woah, bud, who said anything about me?" But Percy had already started running after the puppy. We watching in amusement as the puppy led him in circles, and he dove quite a few times on the grass to try and catch it. Whenever he was laying on the ground, the puppy would pause and bark at him, as if laughing. I would laugh too, watching Percy. He was such a goofball.

Soon Percy just gave up, rolling onto his back in an eagle-spread manner. Mrs. O'Leary came up to him and licked his cheek. A little part in side of me went "Aww."

Percy sat up, and Mrs. O'Leary finally jumped up to him. He grabbed her up and held her tightly, scolding her for running so fast.

"You're right, mom, she is fast," he commented as he walked up to us. He came to stand by me, and I stuck a hand out to pet Mrs. O'Leary. She yapped enthusiastically at me, making me grin. Right then, Poseidon drove up in his truck, parking at the garage and stepping out. He walked over to greet Sally and Paul, and then he smiled at the puppy, saying how perfect it would be to have a dog at the ranch. We just needed to train her.

"Percy?" Poseidon said, making his son look up from the mastiff. "Fourth of July is in a couple days—" at this, Percy grinned widely, clearly super happy, "—but it's going to be raining, starting in a few days. Looks like it's the end of the drought after all."

Percy's smile drooped, like it was melting.

Poseidon patched it back up, though. "So we're going to have to have the party early. Like, tomorrow early. I told everybody in town, and they're ready."

"Tomorrow?" Percy said, eyebrows high. "That gives a tiny amount of time to prepare. Usually it takes three days!"

"I know, but the other days were already full of people doing other things when I asked around, and tomorrow was the only time when they would be available. So we better get to work."

Percy turned to me, his eyes sparkling as he grinned in excitement. "The party's going to be awesome. We do it every year, and there's tons of games and food and fireworks and a bonfire with s'mores and—"

"Percy," I stopped him. I didn't really want to hear about all the fun I was going to miss. "I can't go."

Percy frowned. "Why not?"

Sighing, I told him while gesturing to myself. "Famous movie star, unfortunately. They'll all recognize me."

"Well, how did you go through the airport to get here?"

"I had Piper do it, my make up artist," I told him. "I can't do disguises."

Percy's smile totally disappeared, and he looked at Sally, who shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

"But it'll be fine," I said, forcing a smile. "I'll just stay in the house. I've been doing that all this summer anyways."

"But . . . you need to come. This is the party of the year. Everybody's coming," Percy said slowly. His hand had paused, and the lack of petting made Mrs. O'Leary angry. She barked at Percy, but he didn't listen, just looked at me.

I lifted a hand. "I can't, sorry. I'll be fine."

"Percy, you know she can't," Poseidon said after taking a deep breath. "But we have to get ready, and we better start as soon as possible. Let's get everything we need today, and we'll set it up tomorrow morning."

"Well, that sucks," Percy said, seeming to have not heard his dad.

I rolled my eyes. "It wouldn't have made any difference anyways, it's not as if I've come before. Everything will be the same."

"Well, yeah, but I wanted you to come."

Inhaling slowly, I said, "Come on, let's go get everything as your dad said."

Biting his lip, eyebrows furrowed, Percy did as he was asked, following me back to the house. Mrs. O'Leary seemed to have sensed the atmosphere, and her barking ceased and was replaced instead with a breathy whining. I pet her head quietly, trying to stem my own disappointment.

* * *

**Poor Annabeth. What do you guys think is going to happen?**

**_ANNOUNCEMENT_: Okay, so big thing happening. I'm going to be taking a road trip all around Northeast United States… so like NYC and Rhode Island and Niagra Falls and Vermont. Good thing is, I'M GOING TO BROADWAY! To see Wicked! BAD THING: I'm going to be gone for ten days, and we're leaving tomorrow. We don't have internet. So no updates until around June 8th. I'm sorry! I really hate that I can't! I feel really bad, but there's nothing I can do. :(**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'm sorry about the kind of slow update. It's been a hectic week, trying to get everything ready for the trip.**

**Q&amp;A**

rocketgod123: **I'm trying to get Grover in! :)**

bmftas101: **We'll see about Leo getting a girlfriend. You all would want Calypso for that, right? **

Skyline: **Well, I don't have any other fanfics I'm currently doing. However, I do have my own story on Wattpad, called "The Harmony To My Melody" if you want to check it out. My username on Wattpad is the same as on here. Comments and votes would be highly appreciated. :) Thanks for the nice review!**

Percabeth12-7: **I loved your review. I even read it in a sort of Robotic voice in my head. XD You're awesome. :)**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting . . . and if you haven't done any of those, feel free to! If I don't get another update in until the 8th or so, goodbye! :( Love you all!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm back! SO sorry for the delay on updates, but here you go! :)**

* * *

"Annabeth, can you bring me the stakes inside the stables? I just can't get this tent to stay put."

I looked up at Poseidon. Sure enough, he was holding a part of the tent up with his hands, making sure it didn't fall on the ground. Nodding, I got up from my spot in the garden, leaving the weeding to Sally as I ran to do as Poseidon asked.

This was going to be a huge party. There were three tents just for food, one of them having two grills to be used. Tables were being set up by Paul across the lawn with striped and starred flags that were strewn about the area like spreading dandelions, Mrs. O'Leary pouncing on them much to Sally's horror. Strings of festive colors ran from the house to the tents. There was a big open space in the yard for games like three-legged races, wheelbarrow races, tag, amoeba, fox and squirrel, water fights—they had it all. Prizes were in another tent for the winners. At night, mountains of s'mores ingredients were waiting to be roasted over a gigantic bonfire. A few people that were coming were bringing instruments, and campfire and patriotic songs would be sung before the fireworks show.

It was all set up to be the best, most fun, perfect night.

And I was going to miss it. I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending that I don't exist.

At least I didn't live under the stairs in a cupboard like Harry. Still, I couldn't help it as a sharp stab of disappointment shot through me. I wasn't going to complain, though. It wasn't anybody's fault. But I still wished I could go.

I wanted Piper now more than ever. She'd be able to help me.

Sighing, I braced myself for a horrible night—a night of being bored out of my mind and just listening to the excessive amounts of fun people would be having right outside the house.

Clenching my fist once, I stepped into the barn. I welcomed the shade as I traveled over to the small storage room in the corner. The door was open, and I saw someone in there.

Percy was rummaging through the shelves and looking behind things. When I stepped in, he turned quickly, then smiled lopsidedly.

"What're you looking for?" I asked him, stepping farther in.

"Some more chairs. We're a bit short."

"I'm here for tent stakes, but I'll look for the chairs also," I told him. "Do you know where any of these things might be?"

He shook his head, so I just joined him in searching. It was a full room, so finding a few small tent stakes felt like looking for a needle in a haystack. I started in the opposite corner of Percy, placing my feet in empty places and testing my flexibility as I leaned and stretched to see farther.

"I still wish you could go," Percy said all of a sudden. "Are you sure you can't do anything? Or can I do anything? Nothing will make you able to come?"

"No, not that I know of. But thanks," I said, keeping my voice even. My eyes didn't find his.

Percy didn't say anything for a little while, the only sound being boxes and junk moving as we kept looking.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know why not. Last time I checked, sitting inside didn't kill anybody."

"I know, but," he continued, "you'll be bored. I mean, this is a big party. I wish you could come down to it."

I finally faced him, saying firmly, "So you said. I'll be fine."

He looked doubtful, biting his lip. "I don't know. I still don't like it."

I exhaled. "Well, sorry, but that's not going to change anything. I'm not good enough at disguises. I can't have anybody recognize me."

Percy sighed, pursing his lips, and I said to him, "Percy, just stop and enjoy your party. I know how much you look forward to this."

It was true-Percy loved this annual party. He had been gabbing about it all morning and yesterday. Sally just shook her head and told me he was like this every year. He had so much fun, and he loved hosting the party. It was definitely his kind of thing—games, plenty of food, laugher, fun, water, and no rules.

Well, there was one rule. Poseidon didn't want his house trashed, so he made everybody stay outside. Nobody could go in the house. Percy had told me it didn't matter—there was so much to do outside that nobody wanted to go inside anyways. Therefore I wouldn't have to worry about anyone coming inside while I was in there.

"I should've known," Percy said, seeming as if he were talking more to himself. "I could've reminded you so you could somehow go."

Constantly_ I_ had been cursing myself. I should've seen when the party would've been sooner, then maybe Piper could've made it down to help me. I really wanted to go to this party.

But no. The only thing I could do was help set it up.

"Percy." My voice was determined. Just because I couldn't go didn't mean Percy shouldn't have fun. "Just stop. It's _fine_."

He took another deep breath. "Okay, okay."

Something caught my eye. "Here's some chairs." I triumphantly pulled the chairs away from the wall where they were sort of camouflaged, lugging them up to balance them on my hip. I blew some hair out of my face, turning to look at Percy. He held up the tent stakes then made his way to me.

"Let me take those, they're too heavy," he said, holding out his hand for the chairs. I sent my eyes to the ceiling, but humored him and let him take the chairs, wrapping my palm around the rusty metal stakes. Ever since I'd hit my head and gotten the concussion, Percy's been this way. I wasn't supposed to work too hard, but I think carrying a couple chairs would be okay to do. However, Percy refused to let me overwork myself. But if I didn't touch the back of my head or anything too severe, I couldn't even feel the cut. There were only a few occasional headaches that were left.

Most of the horses were in the stables, but the older, calmer ones were saddled, ready to give rides to the kids that were coming. They neighed greetings to me and Percy, and I patted their heads as we walked by.

Upon stepping outside, the sun gave us a lazy embrace, high in the sky. It was already three in the afternoon, and people would start coming in an hour. We made our way to Poseidon, and Percy stayed to help his dad after he gave the chairs to Paul while I went back to Sally.

"It's unfortunate you can't make it, dear," Sally said to me once I had knelt beside her in the garden.

I shrugged, hoping to make it dismissive and not caring.

"Are you sure there's anything we can't do?" she pressed on.

"Percy's been saying that all morning," I informed her. "I'll be fine. You should just enjoy this night, and I know Percy loves this party. Just ignore me. I'll get a good night sleep." I offered her a smile, which she returned, but I could still see she was unconvinced.

For the next half hour, we did a few last minute things: touching up the decorations, making sure we had all the fireworks, getting enough wood for the bonfire, and started cooking the food we had.

Poseidon checked his phone while he stood at the grill with Paul, smoke rising from the cooking machine and dancing in the air with a delicious smell.

"Oh," Poseidon said. His tone made me look up from where I was straightening the table covers. He sent me a frown. "The Stolls are coming early, and I tried to dissuade them, but they want to help me with the cooking. You'll have to go inside pretty soon, Annabeth."

I nodded, staying enthusiastic. "Alright, sure."

Within the next five minutes, we heard a car rumbling up. Mrs. O'Leary picked her head up off of her paws, yapping in warning as the car came into sight.

I quickly waved to them all, Percy giving me a half-hearted crooked smile, then jogged lightly over to the house. I let myself in, sighed, then headed for my room. The bedroom windows were on the side of the house, so if I leaned my head out really far, I could sort of see the beginning of the decorations. The bonfire would be the closest to my window, but otherwise, the party wasn't within my view.

Leaning back into my room, I trudged over to get a book.

Despite the impending rain in the next week, the sky was clear of clouds. Sunlight streamed in through my open window, the warmth making me shed my jeans for a pair of black mesh gym shorts and a neon yellow t-shirt. My hair stayed in my messy bun, loose strands framing my face that I had to constantly push back to read.

But it was hard to concentrate. I kept hearing more cars drive up, and the laughter and noise of chatting people drifted faintly to me. They were greeting each other, cooing over the new puppy, and thanking Poseidon for the amazing party. I considered closing the window, but I wanted to listen. I wanted to at least hear what was going on, even if I couldn't be a part of it.

When the smells of the food came to me, my stomach grumbled. But I shoved that away, not really wanting to go downstairs. I wished they could bring me a plate of the amazing food they were cooking, but that would look weird—bringing a plate of food into the house and returning without it. As far as everyone knows, Percy's cousin had gone back to wherever she lived. Probably Iowa. Whenever somebody had a fake "cousin" or relative, they always seemed to make them from Iowa. Most likely because nobody really knew anything about that small state. Of course, I knew things about it, like how much corn it produces, and the capital was Des Moines, and it had more hogs than people supposedly—

My mind was rambling. I really had nothing to do.

After what seemed like half a day, I realized it had only been two hours. A sigh was torn from me and I bit my lip, my knee bouncing with irritation. The party was going long into the night. I still had at least five or so more hours. This sucked a lot more than I anticipated. I knew I would be bored, but I didn't expect this mind-numbing sense of absolutely nothing to do. I couldn't even fall asleep early, I was so worked up.

Letting myself fall, I laid on my back, staring at the ceiling. I wondered what Percy was doing. Probably hanging out with Rachel. The thought made me bitter, but I shouldn't be thinking that way. Percy loved this party, and he had every right to be there. I wouldn't make him miss it. He looked forward to this day every year.

The laughter got louder, the smells got stronger, and I grew even more bored.

Just when I thought I was going to explode from all of the nothingness, I heard the front door open. It was a faint sound because I was upstairs, but I could heard it nonetheless. My hand paused in the midst of mindlessly tossing my phone up into the air. I waited.

Who was that? I thought Poseidon said no one could be in the house. I cautiously sat up, frowning at my door. As long as they didn't come in my room I was okay.

I listened as the person closed the door, then started walking. In the silence of the house, with just the faraway noises outside, I could hear the thumps as they ascended the steps. My breath was held, and I tensed up.

However, before I could run to the bathroom or closet to hide, the door swung open.

A boy with a head of dark hair and twinkling green eyes appeared, carrying a big basket.

"Percy!" I breathed out. "You scared me!"

He shrugged. "Sorry, I didn't put my makeup on today. My face might be a bit horrifying."

I gave him a look, the adrenaline fading. "What if I was changing and you just barged in. I could've had no clothes on. You have to knock."

"Well, you saw me a day ago, it's only fair that it's returned. The sight you had should be paid for, Wise Girl."

I rolled my eyes, chucking a pillow at him. He dodged it easily, chuckling. His hair was messy, the normal way, and he ran a hand through it, making it more unruly.

"Hey, that's not how you treat someone who's bringing you dinner."

My ears perked up. "Dinner?"

He grinned lopsidedly. "Yep. Some hotdogs, fruit, chip and dip, dessert, potato casserole-I got it all."

My stomach groaned again, and I held a hand against it, smiling embarrassedly.

His grin grew. "Looks like you're hungry, too."

"How did you get in without people noticing?"

"I just told them I didn't feel good."

"So . . . your stomach is going to be magically healed when you go back out?"

He shook his head, walking over to me. "I'm not going back out."

Percy said it so casually that I didn't really get the meaning at first. But when I did, my eyebrows rose. He sat next to me, and I felt the bed dip a little. "You what?"

"I'm not going back out," he repeated firmly.

"Why not?"

"I'm gonna stay here with you. You shouldn't spend the Fourth of July by yourself—especially when there's a party right outside your window. That's not fair."

"No, Percy, you're going back out."

"No, I'm not."

I glared at him. "Don't stay inside just for me. You are going to go back out there and enjoy your party. You love this party."

"Yes, I do love it. But I'd rather spend the day with you. That's what friends do, Annabeth. I don't want you to be bored."

I was at a loss for words. He was going to skip one of his favorite times of the year just so I wouldn't be bored?

"Percy, don't—I'm fine. Go back out."

He ignored me, proceeding to open the basket. It emitted a warm smell of food that threatened to make me pounce on it right away, but I still held back.

"I even grabbed enough for me, 'cause I'm hungry," he said.

"Percy." I put my hand on his arm, and he looked back at me, his sea-green eyes boring straight into mine. They acted like lasers, melting my body. That included my tongue, so I couldn't speak. Instead, I just tried to convey what I was feeling into my gaze.

He shook his head obstinately. "No. I'm staying, whether you like it or not. But you better like it, because I am giving up the party for your company, Miss Chase. Don't make me regret it."

I just exhaled, leaning back and accepting the fact that he was staying. Inside, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness that he was doing this for me, instead of hanging with Rachel or his friends. But I instantly felt bad about that, and tried to get rid of it,

"Come on, we'll eat out here." He closed the top to the basket of food, then got up and walked to my window. I followed him curiously, watching as he stopped at the half-open window. He pushed it up farther, permitting entrance to the roof outside. Grinning over his shoulder at me, he slipped out onto the roof. It was a little drop, and I heard the thud as he landed.

"Hand me the basket," he called. I put my hand around the wooden basket, then lugged it out the window, bending low over the sill to drop it into his waiting hands.

"Come on, I'll catch you. Watch your head, we don't need another concussion." His words drifted up to me as he set the basket down by his feet, and I put my legs out first, the dying sun lighting them up.

I slid down, falling briefly. Percy stayed true to his word. I went right into his arms, and they curled protectively around my waist. I braced my hands on his chest, our bodies pressed together. He let go, and the warmth left.

"Follow me, Wise Girl." He turned, grabbing the basket and walking cautiously to the other side of the roof. This was a small ledge we had to step up on, and a few more after that before we reached our destination. The roof was slanted only slightly here, so it was easy to sit. It was a small part, but it had an open view of the forest and paddock. The party was beneath us but they couldn't see us.

It was beautiful. The sun was low over the still trees, making a golden haze drop over the earth. The laughing and talking from below us floated up and flew around in small voices, as if we were listening in a dream. Percy flipped through the basket, then pulled out a picnic blanket and threw it open, letting it float like a heavy piece of paper down to the tiles of the roof.

"Well, you got everything," I commented as I took a seat on the checkered blanket.

He grinned goofily, sitting beside me. "I got the food, which is all that matters."

I rolled my eyes, helping him unpack the meal. As he said, there were heaps of delicious and steaming food, and I felt my mouth get considerably wetter as I looked at it all.

"How did you get all of this?"

"My dad helped me. He and Mom knew I wanted to come up here, so they backed up my story and let me come up."

I pursed my lips. "Thank you, Percy."

"Anything for you, Wise Girl." He added a cheeky grin to complete the charming tone.

Gods, he needed to stop being so adorable.

"Now, let's eat. I'm hungry."

I laughed at Percy, then we dug in, filling our mouths with the food. It was amazing. It beat my planned cereal dinner by miles.

We spent the next half hour or so eating. I was just scooping up the last bits of my cheesy potato casserole when I felt something hit my head.

I looked down to see a grape rolling around by my criss-crossed legs. Glaring at Percy, who wouldn't meet my eyes in a way too innocent look, I snatched up the grape and threw it back. He managed to duck, then grabbed another grape and chucked it at me, hitting my cheek.

Then we were a pair of giggling fools, catapulting fruit at each other and shoving at one another. It was stupid, but it made us laugh. It was funny how little it could take to make two friends laugh together.

However, when an unaimed grape flew off the side and disappeared from our view, we paused, breath held.

"Who threw the grape?" a voice demanded loudly. Percy and I glanced at each other, then burst into muffle laughter, falling onto our backs and heaving for air.

"That was close," I said, wiping my eyes.

Percy was still laughing. "That was Octavian. I hate that dude."

"Octavian?" I asked. "That's a weird name."

Percy nodded, then flipped his body around and gestured for me to do the same. We sidled up to the edge of the roof, peering down. It was dizzying for a moment, but I couldn't miss the scores of people. They were all milling about—eating, play games, or just chatting.

"There. That's him," Percy said, his hand coming off the roof to point.

"Won't they see us?"

"Nah, nobody looks up."

So I followed his hand and a few more directions, finally seeing Octavian. He was a scrawny kid, with pale yellow hair. He looked like he wanted to argue with someone, or disagree, his nose pointed up in an "I'm right, you aren't," way.

My own nose wrinkled. "Oh, he looks pretty mean and boring."

Percy chuckled. "He is. Can you find Paul and my mom and dad?"

I was silent, my eyes flitting over the people.

"There, talking with those two people by the drink stand," I said successfully.

"Yeah, and there's Jason and Leo," he told me.

He would point out people, and slowly I started to learn the town and the people within. There was Frank and Hazel, who I haven't met yet. They just started dating, and I watched as they tentatively held hands, their relationship a fragile flower just blooming. Travis and Connor Stoll, the mischievous brothers, were sneaking around and placing ice down surprised people's shirts. I watched as Travis repeatedly did it to a specific girl, and I found her name was Katie Gardner.

"He must like her," I told Percy.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well," I said, explaining the confusing way of boys. "It's the same as when you're a kid, and you like a girl. Usually you tease her and are pretty mean to her, and that is your weird way of showing you like her."

Percy smirked. "So if I pushed you off this roof, that would mean I like you?"

I rolled my eyes. "That's a bit too drastic, Seaweed Brain. Not all the time it's like that, but when it is, you can sort of tell. Like with Travis and Katie. But if you did something to me, it would be normal, because you're like a brother and brothers do that."

Well, that was a big lie. The day I think of Percy like a brother is the day my mom says she wants to become a truck driver. Not happening.

I watched Percy, and I wanted to say his eyebrows deepened quickly into a frown at those words, but I didn't know if it was my imagination.

"Where's Percy?"

That voice was louder than the others, and we looked down to see a man asking Poseidon that.

Poseidon gestured to the house. "He wasn't feeling good, so he stayed inside."

The man frowned. "That's not like him. He loves this party."

Poseidon shrugged as the man continued. "Should someone go check on him?"

Sally, who was beside Poseidon, shook her head, smiling. "No, I think he's fine. Just a stomachache. He's a big boy."

Poseidon raised an eyebrow. "Since when? That kid ain't no big boy!"

I could hear the joking tone in Poseidon's voice, but Percy still stuck his tongue out at his dad. When he realized Poseidon couldn't see that, he grabbed a grape from what seemed our endless supply and chucked it at his dad. I watched open-mouthed as the purple fruit sailed through the air, his aim true. It hit Poseidon's head and bounced off. He made an indignant yelp. Unlike everybody else, he and Sally knew where we were, and he cast a glower up at us while Sally tried to stifle her laughter. Percy and I quick ducked down, giggling.

The sun was almost gone, only half a sphere of blinding light over the canopy of trees. Percy and I lay on our stomachs, hands under our chins and elbows touching. He pointed out a few others, like Nico and Reyna, and Clarisse, the bully of the town. At the mention of her name, Percy started laughing uncontrollably and all I could get out of him was something about toilet water. Whatever.

It was growing darker now, and I watched as the group of people headed over to a big grassy area, almost ready to start the fireworks.

"This is awesome, you'll love it," Percy informed me.

And I did. The fireworks were breathtaking. There were so many—of all colors and explosions. My favorite was probably the firework that took the shape of an owl. It was so cool, with the big sparkling eyes peering down at the ground. The crowd below us oohed and ahed at each cackling that lit up the night sky.

It seemed endless. I found myself pointing and grinning, and Percy would watch me with a small smile on his face, nodding along to whatever I said absentmindedly. His face was lit up with a glow from the fireworks, his green eyes reflecting them. The end was the best, though. Poseidon had really outdone it for the grand finale. Halos of purple sparks, cones of blue and gold, one that burst out then drifted down like a weeping willow—it was all there. There was a row of people setting them off down on the ground, and we laughed as Leo failed to prop his firework up correctly, sending it flying off towards the driveway.

It was over too soon. The people were cheering and clapping, and I wanted to do the same, but I couldn't risk people seeing us.

"Bonfire next?" I asked.

"Bonfire next."

The bonfire was the closest thing to us, therefore we could hear almost everything. In the beginning, it was mostly just chatting and the occasional yelp as a marshmallow caught the flame, charring the fluffy sweet. Percy hadn't been able to get us s'mores, but he swiped a few chocolate bars, so we rolled onto our backs, staring at the stars as we shared the tasty chocolate. The glow of the fire lit up our peripheral vision, but it left the twinkling diamonds in the sky visible.

I loved the night sky. The stars were gone in big cities, and I missed that sometimes. Most of the time, however, I was too caught up in my big city life, my TV star times. But when I had the chance to see the stars, it never ceased to take my breath away.

It was like a dark blanket had been thrown over the earth, and its own lights were shining down on us. The sky seemed endless, and the unlimited amount of stars adorned it. Whenever I saw it, I felt an overwhelming sense of awe. It was hard to describe. I just imagined I could do anything, looking at the impossibly vast sky full of billions of stars.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Percy asked from beside me. We were close, our shoulders touching as we tried to fit both of us on the blanket.

I swallowed the sugary chocolate melting in my mouth, replying with, "Yeah. It makes me love this place even more."

"You didn't at first?"

"No, I did."

"Well, obviously," Percy said in a _duh_ voice. "I'm here. The place is instantly appealing."

I laughed, turning my head to look at him. My smile froze as I saw he had done the same, bringing our heads inches apart. His green eyes sparkled even brighter than the stars, and were way more intriguing in my opinion, despite my recent ramble about the awesomeness of stars.

My heart shot up into my throat, blocking my air flow. Percy didn't do anything, he just looked at me. My brain zeroed in on unimportant details, like how I could feel the puff of his breath on my nose, or the slow and sweet campfire music drifting up to us, or the fact that even though it had grown a bit chilly outside, I could feel the heat radiating off of Percy, his body so close to mine.

The corner of his mouth lifted up slightly. "I like your laugh," he said randomly. Then his cheeks grew a light shade of pink, but my smile just grew.

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain," I whispered. I wanted to tell him I liked his too, but I knew I shouldn't.

To be honest, I liked a lot more than his laugh. I liked his green eyes that sparkled when he got excited, and his lopsided grin. I liked his fierceness that also changed to gentleness when he comforted me or dealt with his friends. I liked the way he could make me laugh so easily. I liked the way that he could brighten my day so quickly. I liked this boy. All this time I'd been skirting around that fact, trying to prove it wrong or ignore it.

But it was hard to ignore something that was staring you right in the face.

Quite literally.

"We should probably head inside," Percy said, his eyes flitting around my face. As he spoke, I heard a lot of farewells being said down on the ground and cars pulling out of the driveway.

I attempted to say, "Okay." However, my voice didn't seem to work. Instead I just nodded, reluctantly dragging myself up. The blanket we had been on had felt warm, and now the air was cold on my exposed back. Percy followed, standing up beside me. He saw me shiver slightly, and he reached down to grab the blanket. I felt his arms around me briefly before they drew back to his body, pulling the blanket around my shoulders.

"Thanks, Percy," I told him.

He grinned in response, picking up the basket. We made our way across the roof, careful to not make too much noise. There was a little ledge that we could climb up on, helping us get over the high windowsill. I fell into my room in a tumbled heap, having pulled myself over the sill.

A second later, Percy appeared, but he cut off my vision as he fell on top of me like a bag of bricks.

"Oomph!" I let out. Percy snickered down at me.

"Sorry, Wise Girl," he said sarcastically. "I didn't mean to hit you."

I got a good grip on his shoulders, shoving him off. He chuckled as I sat up, huffing in annoyance.

"When did you get so fat?" I asked.

He grinned, gesturing to his body. "It's all muscle, Annabeth. Just call me Superman."

I rolled my eyes, a smile slipping through onto my lips. "Stupid Seaweed Brain," I muttered. He just waggled his eyebrows in confirmation, but that was interrupted by a large yawn.

"Man, I'm tired," he said, dragging himself upright and trudging to the door. "Good night, Annabeth."

"Wait, Percy!" I called. He paused, looking over his shoulder at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Thank you. For making my Fourth of July a lot better than what I thought it would be," I said, shuffling my feet.

He smiled. The smile that made my stomach flip-flop. The smile on the face of the boy I liked, no matter how many times I tried to deny it.

"You're welcome. But just so you know, I had fun. Spending time with you is never a waste, Wise Girl."

I'm surprised I managed a smile in return to his, seeing as the butterflies were raging about everywhere, their wings sending little flutters and tingles throughout my body.

His eyes glanced quickly around my room before he left. They rested for a second on my bed. "Well, good night. And you've got a text."

"Okay, Mr. Nosy."

"Hey, I was just saying," he said. Then he added with a smirk, "If it's from Lukey Poo, tell him I say 'Good night, sweet cheeks.'"

I rolled my eyes, shooing his snickering figure away. "Gods, you're irritating. Go to bed."

He shot me one last grin before disappearing. I heard his door open and then close as I collapsed onto my bed with a sigh and a smile.

My hand found my phone, and I pulled it up to squint at the text. My heart froze at the words that were sent from my mother.

_"My plane lands in Colorado tomorrow. I need to speak with you."_

* * *

**I promise I'll answer questions on the next chapter, but I only had time to get on and post this (I had written it out beforehand). So the next update will be soon, I promise. Please review, and I love you all! **

**P.S. Sorry for the cliffhanger. Muahahaha.**


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey, you okay?" Percy asked me.

I bit my lip, nodding briefly without meeting his eyes. We were sitting at the kitchen counter, waiting anxiously. I couldn't tear my gaze away from the clock on the wall. The hands pointed to places almost opposite of each other, the time being "3:52." My mom was scheduled to arrive at the ranch in eight minutes.

I didn't realize my hands were shaking as they were folded up on the counter until I felt a warm palm engulf them, stilling the nervous movement. My eyes flitted up to Percy's, who was watching me in concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, his voice more firm.

I took a deep breath. "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong, I'm just . . ." I trailed off, not exactly knowing where I was going.

To be honest, everything was wrong right now. After that big fight that I had with my mother, the last thing I wanted to do was see her in person. Every second now I was putting up barriers in my mind, building a strong wall so I wouldn't collapse under my mother's yells and arguments and the unbearable headaches that would follow once she got here. I knew she wouldn't like what I had said to her, but I wouldn't want to take it back anyways. She needed to hear it all.

But that didn't make my anxiety disappear.

"It'll be okay," I said. However, my voice sounded as if I was trying to believe that sentence myself.

Percy gave my hand a squeeze. "Well, if you need anything, I'm always available."

I managed a small smile. "Thanks, Percy," I said quietly. My hands moved as I rearranged one so I was holding Percy's hand in return. He gave me an encouraging grin, his green eyes shining warmth.

Just at that moment, the door opened and someone stepped in. I quickly retracted my hand from Percy's and whirled around.

Athena Chase, my dear mother (please note the sarcasm), stood there in all her stubbornness and pride. The first thing I saw was her gaze that had instantly gone to our recently intertwined hands. Then she turned her sharp eyes to me. Taking a deep breath, I steadily returned her stare.

Her eyes narrowed, and she didn't even offer a greeting to either me or Percy, who had now stood and was watching us both warily. Poseidon came down the stairs. He'd offered to go pick my mom up from the airport, but she had declined, saying she wanted to take a taxi. Despite his generosity, he looked rather relieved that he didn't have to. They hated each other for some reason, so the two of them in a car alone probably wouldn't end well.

"Hello, Athena," Poseidon said. She nodded tightly in return.

For a moment, everyone stood there in awkward silence.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Poseidon ventured.

She shook her head. "No. I would like to speak with my daughter. Alone."

I grit my teeth, not saying anything. When Poseidon sent me a questioning glance, I dipped my head in confirmation. Let's get this over with.

"Alright, then," he said. "You can go out to the stables or barn." He looked like he was forcing the words out. Poseidon had become something like a surrogate father to me, caring and protective. He hated this, knowing I was going to get an earful.

But his son hated it more. Percy's eyes were flitting between all of us. They finally rested on me, an anguished light in them. He didn't want me to go alone. If he could decide, he would go with me, but then he'd try to defend me and back me up and my mom would hate him and he would be dragged into this huge mess. I didn't want him to do that.

So I sent him a half-hearted reassuring smile, walking towards the door. As I passed my mom, I could practically feel her aura of cold anger.

I led the way out the door. The rain had come, as promised, but there was a slight break now. Drizzles splattered the wet concrete, making spheres in the puddles as I trudged to the stables. If I couldn't be with Percy or Poseidon, I at least wanted to be with the horses.

Ducking into the large building, I made my way to Porkpie's stall. His head popped out, almost knocking off the cowboy hat Percy had given me, which was hanging on a hook by the stall entrance. The yellow horse nickered a greeting as I patted his head, then he turned a wary eye onto the newcomer.

My mother walked up, standing a few feet behind me. None of us said anything. She just stared at me while I kept my back to her.

But this waiting was getting under my skin. I needed something to happen. Even though I hid it well, my ADHD did act up a lot.

So I pivoted, putting my hands on my hips. "Go on. Yell at me. Scream. Tell me I'm the disrespectful daughter, and that you wish I could've been more like Malcolm."

She didn't respond. Instead, she cocked her head, studying me. It wasn't friendly, but at least she wasn't shouting at me.

Her blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun, whereas mine was falling unceremoniously around my shoulders. She was in a business suit, tight knee length skirt and matching dark grey jacket, with professional high heels that were way overpriced adorning her feet, while I had thrown on some jeans and an old t-shirt, the cuffs of the denim shoved into my boots.

Everybody said we looked alike. But other than the same hair and stormy grey eyes, I found all that bogus. I was nothing like my mother. After all, how can you be like someone who just bosses you around? You have to look up to a person and want to follow their actions to actually be like them.

"Well?" I urged, now crossing my arms.

"How are your lessons going?" she asked. Her voice was tight, tense.

I frowned. "Fine."

"Do you like the horses?"

_Ookay . . . this is weird_. "Yeah, of course," I replied slowly.

"Really? Even if they, say, buck you off and give you a concussion?" Her voice had finally risen to that angry tone, confronting me.

I let out a sigh. "Phew, mom. You had me worried there. I thought something was wrong-you were actually having a nice conversation with me."

She narrowed her eyes. "Get rid of that sarcasm, Annabeth Chase. Answer me."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I said, "How did you find out?"

Athena scoffed. "Oh, please. I'm your agent, I figure these things out."

"Funny, I thought you were going to say 'mother'," I spat. "But it looks like the position of being an agent to your daughter comes before being a parent. Makes sense."

"Do you not listen?" she demanded. "Stop with the sarcasm, we just need to have a clear, logical and wise talk."

"Logical?" I said, taking a step closer, my own voice rising to match hers. "'Logical' is the exact opposite of every single one of the conversations we have. And don't get me started on wisdom. I know people sometimes nickname you the 'goddess of wisdom,' but if that was true, then we wouldn't even need to have this conversation. Your brain wouldn't be so muddled up and you could see my side of the argument, which makes perfect sense."

"Teenagers." She said the word like it was a curse. "They always think they're right. They think they've got everything under control, that the world fits right into their palm. Guess what? I know that's not true! I've been there, Annabeth."

"So have you just come all the way to Colorado to tell me that what I'm doing is stupid?" A few horses had looked up at the shouting, but I paid them no heed. "You're the one who sent me here. So if you think this is stupid, then take me away. Because apparently whatever you say goes."

Athena let out a huff, shifting her stance. "What if I did? What if I told you you've become disrespectful and too lazy here at this secluded ranch, and that you are going to come back with me to California?"

My stomach clenched, but I didn't let that show. Instead I rolled my eyes in a dismissive way. "You wouldn't do that anyway. You want me in this movie because it could bring lots of money. Therefore I need to stay and learn to ride."

"You know there's such a thing as other ranches, right?"

I turned an accusing eye onto her. "Now look who's being sarcastic."

She ignored me. "I could easily transfer you, but you don't want that, do you?"

I was quiet for a second. Not because I didn't know the answer to that question, because, gods, I wanted to stay here. I didn't want to leave.

"No," I replied quietly, looking at the ground.

"Is it because of Percy?"

My gaze shot up to her. "What? What do you mean?" I queried cautiously.

"I'm not stupid, Annabeth. I know you like him."

"I do not-"

"I can tell. I hear the way you talk about him, the way you looked at him just now. I think you're losing your touch in acting, I can see right through you."

I grit my teeth. "There's _nothing_ going on," I said slowly, accentuating each word. "He has a girlfriend!"

"Looks like that hasn't stopped you."

My jaw clenched as I looked away, trying to take control over my anger. "I told you, there's nothing going on. And nothing ever will be."

She narrowed her eyes. "Good."

"Why do you care?" I said.

"Because," she said simply. "Because he's not the kind of boy you want to hang with, Annabeth."

"Oh, I highly disagree. You don't know him like I do. Percy is better than most guys I know. Better than most guys in general," I fumed. She can say anything about me, but she can _not_ insult Percy.

"Better than Luke?" my mother said quietly, her tone challenging.

I actually took a small step back at her words. _Luke_. That word brought in a rush of feelings that battled with my newly accepted feelings for Percy. I didn't know which one was stronger at the moment. Percy or Luke. They were exact opposites-you'd think I'd be able to decide. Luke is smart and solemn, Percy is adorably dumb and goofy. Luke is world-wide popular, Percy is popular in this small town in Colorado. Luke's name makes butterflies rise in me, Percy's name makes me want to smile.

But the two biggest differences was that they lived in different worlds. And Luke-he lived in mine. The Hollywood world, the one with fame and fortune, movies and parties. Percy lived in this humble world, with close friends and nature as companions.

As if she read my thoughts, my mother said calmly, "You're home is in California. It's not here. Every time I get the chance to speak with you, I realize you are slowly forgetting your real home, Annabeth. You need to remember that you live among movie stars, being one yourself. You live as an actress, not some nobody like the people in this town. You are higher than them."

"Oh, because that doesn't sound at all arrogant, mother," I spat.

"But it's true," she countered. "And you can't deny that. California is where you belong, with me and Luke and acting. Don't let these false ideas of happiness here lead you astray. You're better than that. You're an actress."

"Have you ever thought that maybe I used my acting on a daily basis?" I said suddenly, having had enough of this.

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Have you ever wondered if every day, when I wake up and smile and wave for the cameras and people and everything seems perfect in my life, that maybe I'm acting? Maybe not everything's as perfect as it seems? Maybe I'm not that happy with my life?"

Athena stared at me for a second. "You can't be serious. You love acting."

"Yes, I love acting. I love it so much. But I also love-I love simplicity. I love waking up in the morning to pure silence except for the nature outside. I love having nobody rush up to me and beg for a picture or autograph. I love not having the constant threat of Paparazzi or whatever taking notes of my every move, just waiting to find a mistake. I love it here. I feel normal." The last part was a whisper, a desperate tone filled with longing.

It was so true. I had become attached to everything about this ranch. The horses, the people, the nature.

"So, yes," I wrapped up. "I love acting. But if being an actress means you're bossed around by a mother and are forced to wake up each day and fake happiness when I could find it for real somewhere else, I'm not sure acting is the thing for me."

There. The words were out.

And my mother didn't seem to fully register them for a second. Her grey eyes were wide, staring straight into my obstinate ones.

"What?" she hissed. "Don't be stupid."

"I'm not being stupid," I said. "I would keep being an actress if you could just subtract all the things I just said. But that's not happening."

"Annabeth, you've got your head in the clouds. Acting is what's best for you," she said sternly.

I exhaled harshly, raising my hands in exasperation. "Gods, how many times do I have to tell you to convince you I'm being honest?"

"As many times as you want, but it'll be pointless, because you'll never make me agree to this-this wild and absolutely foolish thought."

"There!" I said, pointing. "You act like everything I do needs to have your approval! You may be my agent, but until you start acting like my mother, I'm _never _going to let you have a say in my personal life!"

We were both flushed from fury, glaring into each other's faces.

I don't know what would've happened next. From the look in Athena's eyes, probably something not very good. But then someone walked into the stable.

Both of our heads snapped to the entryway, finding Percy standing there. He looked between the both of us. If he was smart, he'd sense the unbearable tension lined with rage and get out of here as fast as he could to safety. But instead, he squared his shoulders, standing there.

"What are _you_ doing here?" my mom said coarsely.

He replied quietly. "I came here to make sure Annabeth was okay."

Athena rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid, she's fine. Now go."

Percy ignored her, instead walking over to me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. The one simple, kind action made me want to cry into his shoulder. One tiny touch from him could strip down all my walls and make me defenseless and unprotected.

"Are you okay?" he asked me, staring directly into my eyes.

Gods, he was brave. Not everybody would directly defy my mother-she could be quite scary.

I nodded slightly, but he frowned, not believing me.

"I said leave. I need to speak with my daughter," my mother said through gritted teeth.

Percy, bless his amazing, stupid soul, just swung around to face my mother, me behind his shoulder. "Then talk."

She rolled her eyes again. "Do you know the meaning of the word 'alone,' boy?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. I think I learned sometime. My name's Percy, by the way. Nice to meet you, too."

She wrinkled her nose, staring at him like he was a piece of garbage on a sidewalk in the city. "I need to speak with my daughter."

He stroked his chin, pretending to think. "Hm. Let's take a vote. All in favor of me staying, raise their hand."

He raised both of his while I just shook my head in wonder at his audacity. Then he grabbed my hand, pushing it high. "Ah, looks like I'm staying," he stated triumphantly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, hiding a smile. "Percy, just go."

Failing to take notice of my words, he just continued to Athena. "Feel free to keep speaking. Don't worry, I won't judge." Behind his back, in plain sight for me but hidden from Athena, he crossed two fingers. I sent my eyes to the ceiling.

My mom had been staring in shock. I think this is probably the first person to outrightly resist her command, and it happened to be an eighteen-year-old boy.

"Excuse me?" she spluttered.

"You're excused. Now what were you saying?" he said politely. I stifled chuckles behind my hand, but Athena's next words took that away quickly.

My mom seemed to have regained her composure, and she said coolly, "I was just telling Annabeth that I'm taking her back with me to California. Today."

My eyes flashed up to meet hers in horror. She couldn't be serious.

I couldn't see Percy's reaction to that, but his back tensed up quickly, and his fist clenched.

"She agrees to this?" he asked after a few tense seconds. It sounded like he was forcing the words.

"No!" I burst out. "No, I don't. Mom, you can't do this." I took a step forward, placing myself in front of Percy. I watched my mother. She let no emotion show, no sign of what she might be thinking.

"I don't think that's quite fair," Percy said sternly. "If you want a say in Annabeth's life, you better show some care as a mother before that."

Athena's jaw dropped. She looked like she was going to slap Percy, and I got prepared to stop her.

Percy and I both waited with bated breath.

"Fine." The one word she uttered sent my world crashing back into place once more. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Fine, you'll stay," she said. Her voice was calm, like the eye in a storm. "Stay here and try to prove to me that you'll be happy here. I can guarantee this isn't the world for you, but if it takes only a couple months for your naive head to wrap around that fact, then I'll give those few months. I have to leave."

"You're not staying longer?" Percy asked from behind me in confusion.

She turned a hard eye onto him. "I have nothing to stay for."

Those words hit me like a punch to the gut. She sees her daughter for the first time in a month or so and she doesn't even greet me. She gives me a lecture, then basically says she doesn't want to see me anymore.

I averted my eyes, looking to my side with controlled breathing. I caught Percy's sympathetic gaze in my peripheral vision.

"But I will send someone. Someone to watch you're progress for a day or two, make sure you're learning something, not canoodling mindlessly," my mom said further. I bit my lip, wondering who she'd send. Hopefully not one of her stuck-up, snobbish friends. But I at least got to stay. That made me happy.

With that, she spun on her heel and walked out the door, not without giving Percy a glowering scowl. He just stared steadily back until she was gone from our sight, picking up her phone to call a taxi.

Percy watched her. "No offense, but gods, is she always like that?"

I could feel tears spring to my eyes suddenly. She was so annoying, so irritating. She cared about very little, other than being successful. Sometimes I felt like I was loving her only because she was labelled my mom, and then I feel guilty.

But also sad. Because a mother is all I want, one that cares about me. It looks like I wouldn't be getting that today.

However, I squeezed my eyes shut, driving the tears away before facing Percy.

"Thank you, Percy," I said. "Even though it was extremely dumb, and now you've dragged yourself into this mess and you're probably on her hate list-which is a bad position-you stood up to her for me. Not a lot of people do that."

He frowned. "Well, more should. You deserve better." He said it casually, like it was a known fact. It still didn't stop the butterflies as they started dancing in my stomach.

But then my mind shot back to my mother's words.

She was right, however much I didn't want it to be. I belonged in the world I grew up in. I couldn't just up and leave that. My feelings for Percy were just going to mess things up, and they made my feelings for Luke even more messed up.

That didn't mean I would change anything, though. Despite my mother's disbelief, being here at the ranch with the horses and Percy had been the closest I'd ever gotten to happiness.

"Well, since she's gone, do you want to go do a puzzle?" he asked me.

I narrowed my eyes at the random words. "A puzzle? But you hate puzzles."

"Yeah, but you like to do them. Come on," he said, beckoning towards me as he started out of the stable. "But I get to pick it. We're doing the one with the fish and dolphins."

Sending my eyes skyward, I muttered, "Seaweed Brain."

But already he had me smiling, and it pierced through my fog of sorrowful longing.

We went outside just as my mom was driving away. She didn't even say goodbye.

Percy glanced at me, seemed to sense this, and grabbed my hand, pulling me along. "Let's go, slowpoke. I'm hungry."

"I thought we were doing a puzzle?"

"There's this wonderful thing called multitasking. But since I can't do that, you can do the puzzle while I eat."

A laugh was torn from me, and my mood lifted. Already my mind was picking itself up from the void it dropped in whenever my mom and I got into a serious fight. It usually took days to do so, to actually smile genuinely. And now I was smiling and even laughing in a few minutes after.

This boy.

* * *

**Sorry 'bout the cliffie on the last chapter. I just can't help it. I used to accuse Uncle Rick for his awful cliffhangers, but now I'm labeling myself a hypocrite. ;)**

**My trip was amazing, thanks to so many of you for asking! Those reviews make me smile. They aren't just demanding for a new chapter, they're actually reading my author's notes that sometimes can be boring, and remembering them. I can't help but think, "Ah, I like that person." So thanks again!**

**But yeah, my trip was awesome. NYC was incredible-I loved Bryant Park especially. And Wicked was SPECTACULAR. It is so cool. :) :) :)**

**Q&amp;A and the talks.**

rocketgod123: **No, nobody knows about the Rachel/Percy scandal but Percy, Annabeth, Sally, and Paul. They tried to keep it down. Sorry if that was confusing. Also, you'll figure out who Rachel was with later. ;)**

Jedi1: **Well, for Annabeth it's a bit watered down. It's fine if she has two crushes, but at least she didn't cheat on her boyfriend.**

Skyline: **I saw the Empire State Building from afar, but I didn't go inside. I kept looking at the top and imagining Mount Olympus. XD**

UnknownPerson: **Aww, thanks! But actually, I have an account on Wattpad (the username is the same as Fanfiction) and I'm writing a story on there, and I'm planning a few more already. Feel free to check it out. :)**

: **I'm trying to fit in a time when Annabeth will meet the others. It'll be soon. :)**

awesooooooome: **DON'T WORRY. You don't have to wait tragically and pine for too long. ;)**

**Thanks for reviewing! I'll update soon, I swear it on the Styx. Love ya'll. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

"Ooh! We're halfway the-ere, oh OH! Livin' on a prayer! Take my—"

"Percy, shut up!" Jason roared, clapping his hands over his ears. "I can't hear myself think!"

Percy raised an eyebrow, leaning against the fence pole he had just secured into the ground. "Wow, I didn't even know you _could_ think."

Jason shot him a glare while I just chuckled, petting Porkpie's neck.

A section of the paddock had come loose in the rain earlier this week, the rotten wood finally caving to the harsh demands of nature. Not wanting to do it alone, Percy called Jason over to help him. I watched them as I groomed Porkpie. I wasn't going to ride the horse today, but every horse needs a little extra loving, even for no reason.

So as I was brushing a knot out of Porkpie's mane, Percy was belting out the lyrics for "Livin' On A Prayer," and poor Jason was rethinking his life choices, like the one when he decided to become Percy's friend.

"You know, I have every right to just leave and you can do this all yourself," Jason threatened.

Percy grinned, pinching Jason's cheek like an old grandma. "Oh, don't worry, my sweet lumps. You won't do that."

I bust out laughing, more at Jason's death glare than anything. Then he turned that on me, and I sobered up, stifling my giggles behind Porkpie's neck.

"I hate you," he said to Percy. "And you." That was directed at me.

"Dude, you need a girlfriend," Percy muttered. "It's time for you to loosen up."

"You're mom needs a girlfriend," Jason grumbled.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Oh, that's mature. You know, that joke doesn't even make sense. And it's so overused."

"It's the human society, Perce," I told him. "Can't expect too much."

"Ouch, girl," Percy said in a sassy way. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he returned it.

Before anybody could say something else, we heard a voice call to us.

"Kids!" Poseidon yelled to us. A draft of wind came at his next words, so I only caught "Come and meet".

"What did he say?" I asked.

Jason shrugged. "Come and meet something that starts with a 'P'."

"Gods, I hope it's pizza," Percy said, dragging himself off the post. "I'm so hungry."

As we started walking to the house, I said to him, "Yeah, we're going to go meet Pizza. Pizza's the person my mom sent to watch my progress."

He sent his eyes skyward.

That's who this person was, though. My mom had texted yesterday, saying in as few a words as possible that the person coming to oversee me for a day or two was going to need to be picked today at four. So while we did some last few chores outside, Poseidon went to pick the person up. He just got back from the airport, and curiosity was filling every inch of me. I honestly had no clue who my mom would send. I was hoping someone I knew and liked, but my mom was probably going to do the exact opposite.

"Tonight, the foxes hunt the hounds, and it's all over now. Before it has begun, and we've already wo-oon!" Percy sang.

"Why are you so singy today?" Jason demanded.

Percy shrugged. "Don't hate, bro."

Jason gave him a warning glower. "If you start singing Taylor—"

"'CAUSE!" Percy screamed. "The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate . . ."

He said the word more times than it was supposed to be, his voice deepening and slowing down each time until he sounded like a video on slow motion. Jason huffed angrily while I hid a smile. I caught Percy's wink sent at me, and I shook my head. Boys. Always feeling the need to annoy one another.

We rounded the corner, coming into the view of the entrance to the house. The visitor was kneeling on the sidewalk, petting an excited Mrs. O'Leary.

I instantly recognized the choppy brown hair, small braids woven between the strands.

"Piper!" I said happily, running up to see her. The girl whirled around at my voice, a smile lighting up her kaleidoscope eyes.

She and I collided in a fierce hug. I hadn't realized how much I had missed her. It was so nice to see her again.

Piper and I have known each other for quite some time, and her mom was a huge fashion designer. Like, really big. Aphrodite was her mom's name. So she had some fame from that, and then her dad, Tristan McLean, was a movie actor. He starred in the movie I became famous in, and we both were the main actors. So one day he brought Piper to the set and we clicked immediately. Then, as my career progressed, Piper became my make up artist and personal fashion designer. We both loved it, because then we got to see each other a lot more.

"Annabeth, I missed you so much!" she squealed, squeezing me harder. She leaned back to look at me.

"Girl, you've gotten a tan," she said.

"Yeah, tan lines," I replied. She grinned.

I stepped back, letting her see the two boys who were waiting behind us. Piper smiled at them, and I swear Jason's jaw dropped slightly.

"Piper, this is Percy, he's the rancher's son," I said. "Percy, this is Piper." They shook hands, Percy flashing her a lopsided grin that made my heart do a weird motion. That was so stupid. I mean, all he did was smile, and my heard was flitting around like a mentally challenged bird.

"And, Jason, this is Piper. Piper, Jason is Percy's friend."

Piper leaned forward, offering her hand. Jason stuck his out, then retracted it, looking at it briefly before wiping it on his shirt, attempting to get some of the dirt off.

"Oh, it's fine," Piper said. "I don't care about a little dirt." Well, the boys were pretty dirty. Percy had some dirt smeared on his nose, and his shirt and jeans were dusty. His gloves were sticking out of his back pocket, equally brown with the earth. Jason was the same.

Jason grinned widely at her, taking her hand. They seemed to shake hands for a little longer than necessary, and when I cleared my throat, they blushed and jumped away from each other quickly.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" I asked Piper. "I thought my mom would send someone else, someone I didn't want to see."

"Well, she was planning on that," Piper replied. She stuck her hands in her jeans, smirking. "But I just took a leaf out of your book. I should become an actress. I managed to fool her, pretending I was extremely mad that you might not be taking this seriously, and that I would beat you to a pulp if you were messing around. She seemed to buy that, so I got to come! Now we can part-ay!"

I laughed with her. Then Percy said, "Take a picture, dude. It'll last longer." His voice was teasing, and we both turned to look at the two boys. Jason had been staring pretty intently at us, but when Percy said that, he turned red and shoved at his friend's shoulder. Percy just snickered.

Poseidon chose that moment to come out, finding Jason who's face resembled a tomato, Percy sneering, me rolling my eyes, and Piper standing awkwardly.

He frowned. "Okay, then. Well, I was just going to suggest that you guys take a break and bring Piper on a trail ride. I got her some boots already. You can show her around the place if you want."

"Sure!" Jason piped up. This just enhanced Percy's snickers, and when Jason noticed how overly enthusiastic he sounded, he turned even redder.

"Um—I, uh—I'm just tired. I'm glad for the break," he managed to stammer out.

"Well, why don't you go get Tempest ready and find Piper a horse," I said to him. He nodded, shuffling his feet slightly before turning and gesturing to Piper to follow him. I watched them walk off, talking a little.

Percy gave me the eye. "So, my fellow matchmaker. You ready for this?"

I laughed evilly. "You bet. They won't know what hit them."

* * *

Well, turns out Percy and I didn't have to do that much work. Our matchmaking skills didn't come to the surface. Jason and Piper were doing fine on their own.

I said as much to Percy as we rode side by side, a few meters behind Jason and Piper on the trail between the woods. They were talking, Piper throwing her head back and laughing and Jason looking pleased that she laughed.

"I know," Percy agreed. "Look at 'em. They're definitely getting married."

I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"Well, I'm going to be the maid of honor."

Percy dipped his head. "And I'm going to be the man of honor."

Mentally face-palming, I replied exasperatedly, "Percy. It's the best man, not the man of honor." My voice cracked at the last few words as I tried to hold in my laughter.

He snapped the fingers of his free hand. "Oh! I was thinking about that yesterday, and I couldn't think of the right term. So I just used 'man of honor.'"

A smile appeared on my face. "Okay, whatever."

"You know then we'll have to dance, right?"

Before I knew it, my mind had conjured up an image of me dancing with Percy. Preferably a slow dance, peaceful and . . . Romantic? No, that couldn't have been the word my mind brought up. It's not like I enjoy the feeling of being in Percy's arms—I mean, I do enjoy it, just not—I don't know.

As if wanting to convince me further of my feelings, my brain took me back to that night, after my fight with my mom via telephone. I had been so mad, but sitting in Percy's embrace—he just seemed to drain all the sorrow and frustration. It was so soothing, and I felt like everything was okay for that one night.

Seeing that Percy was still waiting, I managed to say, "Don't you dare step on my toes." My cheeks had grown heated, and I willed the blush to seep away.

"Whatcha guys talking about?" Piper asked. She had slowed Guido down, coming to walk beside me.

"Jason's and your wedding," Percy said simply. "It's gonna be awesome."

Piper grew redder than me, spluttering, "Woah—what?"

Percy, smirking, winked at me before urging Blackjack into a trot, catching up to Jason.

I glared at his back. "Thanks, Perce."

"What did he mean?" Piper demanded.

"Nothing," I said. "Except that you seem to be enjoying Jason's company."

She didn't meet my eyes, twisting the reigns in her grip. "He's just really nice."

"Mhmm," I hummed, unconvinced. "I'll make sure to remind you of that when you two are dating."

My best friend rolled her green eyes, the color being our surrounding of emerald leaves. "You're one to talk. What about you and Percy?"

Not surprisingly, I blushed again.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Piper raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because I know that's a lie. You totally like him."

"Sh!" I said frantically, glancing at the two conversing boys ahead of us. "Don't say it so loud!"

"So you do?" she continued to pester, albeit in a quieter voice.

I bit my lip. "I guess."

It was weird. I had accepted the fact in my mind, but saying it out loud just made it seem . . . real.

Piper grinned. "You two are cute, I'll give you that."

I sent my eyes to the sky, then got serious again. "I don't know. I do, but—but there's really no chance. I mean, he lives here, I live in California. He's a cowboy, I'm a world-wide actress. My mom was clear to point that out. And don't mention Luke. That just puts all my feelings in a whirlwind."

It was nice to get this off my chest—I'd missed having a girlfriend to talk to and share secrets with.

She sighed. "Well, maybe you do like Luke. But you can like two people. You just have to decide and stick with it."

I imagined that. I imagined picking Luke and spending so much time with him. We'd probably go to super expensive restaurants, get bombarded by paparazzi, star in movies together, and have many rumors started about us. It would be a crazy life.

But with Percy, it could be different. We'd spend days at the lake, riding horses together, living in a quiet, off-the-map world. It sounded peaceful and comforting.

However, I was getting ahead of myself. First off, I had just said things would be difficult with Percy, because of all the differences. And second . . .

"He had a girlfriend," I said, trying to keep the whine out of my voice.

"Oh, that sucks," Piper said. "Do they seem strong? Is it a good relationship?"

Well, from the time I've been here, they don't spend a ton of time together, they seem to argue a lot, she gets jealous and has trust issues, he seems to be the one keeping them together, even though she downright _cheated_ on him.

"I think they're doing fine," I lied.

Piper pursed her lips, thinking. "Well, I need to meet this girlfriend."

"You'll regret you ever said that."

"That bad, huh?" She smiled.

My lips curved. Then I remembered something. "Wouldn't my mom have given you the things she wanted me to do? And wouldn't 'Getting rid of any bad feelings' be at the top of the list? She seemed to hate Percy. Didn't she tell you to tell me to stay away from Percy?"

Piper shrugged. "Yeah, but I don't agree with that. Love is love."

"Wait a second, we aren't into _love_," I stopped her.

"Just wait. It'll come sometime, and for the right person."

"The trick is finding the right person," I muttered.

"Hey, Annabeth?"

I looked up at the person who called to me. Percy's eyes matched the green around us, brighter than the grass.

At my raised eyebrow, he continued. "Now that Piper's here, can she disguise you and can we go to town?"

Glancing at my friend, who nodded emphatically, I turned back to the ebony-haired boy. "Yep! I want to me your friends!"

He gave me a lopsided grin, his eyes sparkling. I returned the smile, equally happy.

I caught Piper's wiggling eyebrow in my peripheral vision as we continued to smile at each other, but I also caught Jason's curious gaze.

"Don't lead him on," Jason had said all those days ago.

He had said don't lead Percy on because it was just going to be a dead end. Everybody seemed like I was destined to not be with Percy—it just wouldn't work out. I was supposed to be with Luke.

Now I just needed to enhance my feelings for Luke, and just try to forget the feelings for Percy.

But each day, that was becoming harder. And I was scared to admit it, but it seemed as though the opposite was happening.

* * *

**Okay, guys, I'm sorry for the late update. It's just that lately I've been having this thing called "Lack of Inspiration", which is basically every writer's fear. Sorry.**

**ANNOUNCEMENT: I know I told you guys on the last chapter that my username on Wattpad was the same as on Fanfiction, but I've changed it on Wattpad. Instead of "SoDeSi47", my username on Wattpad is now "Sophia-Dee". So go check it out, I'd be extremely happy! And thanks to the few people who did follow me on wattpad! You guys are awesome! I'm going to be starting a new story on wattpad soon, and I'll put the description in one of the next few chapters of City Girl, Country Boy. Hope you guys are able to read it!**

**Thanks for all the reviews!**

**Q&amp;A**

Some Aren't Worth It:** Oh, don't worry! I read every single review I get and love each and every one! And yeah, Luke would make it too complicated . . . that's why I saved Luke's visit for later. ;) Spoiler alert, sorry.**

bmftas**: Wicked is amazing. A definite need-to-see musical. :)**

AverageCanadian**: Annabeth could probably leave right now and quit her life of acting, but she's said over and over that she's in love with acting. It's her passion. She can't just up and leave it. Think of your absolute FAVORITE thing to do, and imagine just quitting it, right there. Hard, huh?**

EpicNuby**: I'm from the US. :)**

rocketgod123**: I'm going to try to update on wattpad soon, but like I just said, I've also got a new story coming, and this story I have to take care of. But I'll try! :)**

PJOisbae143**: Annabeth's going to town next chapter, so we'll meet the others! :)**

awesooooooome**: Aww. You made me smile so wide. Though I doubt I could get as popular as JK Rowling... that's like... impossible. :) Thank you, though! That was sweet! **

cloclothedino**: Yes, the whole book will be in Annabeth's POV, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story! :)**

**Thanks for reading, I'll try and update ASAP. :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm really excited for these next few chapters now. I know you guys will be pretty excited too.*****wink wink.***

* * *

By noon the next day, Piper, Percy and I had piled into the truck and were headed out to town. I was practically bouncing up and down on my seat, excited that I finally got to get out of the house.

"How much longer?" I complained, shifting the Yankees cap on my head so it stayed on.

Percy glanced at me, a half-grin on his face. "How old are you? Three?"

I shot him a look to which he chuckled at. He refocused his eye on the road curving between two walls of trees, and I did the same.

It was a pretty road. The sun shone down on the asphalt, making heat waves appear in the July midday. It was almost deserted, Poseidon's truck being the only one driving. I checked my reflection in the rear-view mirror. Piper had done a good job, it was hard to see the Annabeth Chase behind the disguise of Minerva Jackson. I hated the name Minerva, but Piper had suggested it and Percy had agreed with a wicked smile.

"We're here," he announced from beside me. "See, patience pays off, young grasshopper."

I looked around us at the small town that had appeared out of nowhere.

It was, in my words, adorable. Little towns always made me think that.

Buildings lined cute streets, awnings creeping out and providing shade for passerby. Boards with names of shops and restaurants stood colorfully around, each with their own sense of style. The town was like that-a mix-match of all sorts of colors thrown together, but they worked somehow. People were walking about, greeting neighbors down the road, kids were recognizing friends and shouting hello, and grandparents were being closely looked after by caring families.

I guess it was true. In a small town, pretty much everybody did know each other.

Percy drove down the street, stopping at the one stop sign before pulling into a parking spot in front of "Demeter's Cafe."

He got out, then hurried around to open both the front and back door for Piper and I.

Piper hopped down, thanking him politely before looking around. I grabbed Percy's outstretched hand, smiling at him as he helped me out.

"Why, thank you, sir," I said in a fake accent.

He took a sweeping bow. "You're most delightfully welcomed, m'lady."

I giggled as he straightened up, winking. Piper rolled her eyes, tromping over to the cafe where we were scheduled to meet all the others.

We entered the small cafe and immediately heard, "Piper!"

Turning to the source of the voice, I found a grinning Jason. Just seeing Piper made him smile that big.

As Piper went over to greet Jason, Percy and I exchanged glances.

"They're getting married," he affirmed. I threw back my head and laughed, high and clear, before heading into the cafe.

Jason and Piper had already walked over to a large round table in the corner of the restaurant, the light green tablecloth matching the walls. Three people were sitting beside them.

"Minerva," Percy said, and I could hear the snicker in his voice as he said that. I resisted the urge to glare at him as he kept talking. "That's Hazel and Frank. You know Leo."

Hazel and Frank were sitting side by side, looking like complete opposites. Frank was a big, young, Asian man. Not fat, but just muscular and big-boned. He had close-cropped, military style black hair. There was a warmth in his eyes that made me like him almost instantly. He reminded me of a teddy bear, even with his somewhat intimidating appearance.

Hazel, on the other hand, was a petite, young African American with beautiful curls flaring out from her head. Intense golden eyes latched with mine, squinting as she smiled a welcome.

As they say, though, opposites attract-and these two proved it. They were most definitely a couple, what with the way Frank always glanced protectively down at her, and the adoring looks she sent him.

"Hey, Minerva!" Hazel said brightly, standing up to offer me a hand. "We've heard a lot about you. But I have to say, you two look nothing alike."

Percy and I exchanged a look, holding back chuckles. "Funny thing," I stated, shaking Frank's hand as well, accepting his polite greeting.

They both greeted Piper, introduced by Jason, before we all sat down around the table. Piper and Percy were on both of my sides, though I was ignored by one of them. Piper just chatted with Jason the whole time.

"So, how long are you here for, Minerva?" Frank asked, entangling his hand with Hazel's. His big fingers made Hazel's hand disappear under his grip.

"Shh, Frank," Hazel whispered, loudly enough for me to hear. "Don't be too forward. Remember, she's shy."

Percy choked on his drink in front of him, and I finally sent him a glower. I had forgotten he told everybody that I was his shy, mental little cousin. Stupid Seaweed Brain.

"It's fine, I've gotten a lot better," I commented, and the couple turned to smile at me.

"Yeah," Leo said, grinning maniacally. "She used to be so antisocial and shy, she would scream whenever I came into view."

I sent him a withering look. "Yes, Leo. You're face is just that scary." He stuck his tongue out at me, and I did the same. Percy coughed, concealing the word "immature" in between his coughs. I kicked him under the table, causing him to laugh even more.

"Anyways, I'm here for just a little visit. I came earlier this summer, but I left during the beginning of July," I said.

"Oh, yeah," said Frank. "I remember you not being there at the party."

"Too bad. You missed out," Hazel said with a small smile. "So did you, Percy. I would've never guessed you to miss the party. I thought you'd stay out despite being sick."

He shrugged, flashing them a crooked smile. "Yeah, but I was fine. It wasn't horrible inside."

I blushed, hiding it behind my drink as I chugged the water, almost choking on an ice cube. Smooth, huh?

Suddenly, the cafeteria door chimed, signaling someone's entrance.

From behind us came a sickeningly familiar voice. "Sorry I'm late guys, I got held up."

Rachel took a seat on the opposite side of Percy, squeezing between him and Leo. She had a bright smile, but that disappeared once her eyes landed on me. I knew she recognized me, for the hatred protruding from her green orbs showed that.

"What's she doing here?" she asked.

Hazel raised an eyebrow at her rudeness, but she answered her. "That's Minerva, Percy's cousin. It's a bit last minute, but she could make it here with her friend, Piper. Minerva and Piper, that's Rachel."

Piper's eyes had narrowed as she studied the famous girlfriend of Percy. Her glance she sent fleetingly toward me told me that she was skeptical of her. I bit back laughter, loving how if you hated someone, it almost always made your best friend hate the person too, even if they knew nothing about them.

"I've met An-," Rachel paused, and I sent her a warning glare, tipping down my cap just in case she slipped up and the two in front of us wanted a closer look. "Minerva," she fixed shortly.

"Oh, okay," Hazel said confusedly. "Um, so we were thinking we could take a walk downtown to show Annabeth and Piper around."

They all agreed, and we got up, heading out the cafe. Rachel appeared to be glued to Percy's side, and she sent me a little sneer as she walked with Percy. I watched with jealousy as they clasped hands, swinging them casually from side to side.

Percy didn't seem to be not enjoying it, but he didn't look like he was totally focusing on his girlfriend either. He was caught in conversation with Leo about food or something. I trailed a few feet behind them, in front of Jason and Piper, who were chatting. Hazel and Frank were leading the way on the sidewalk.

People passed and greeted us, some even calling my friends by their name. Many "Percy"s could be heard-apparently he was a popular figure around here.

For a couple blocks, I just looked about the small town, not having anybody to talk to. My inside cheek was chewed raw from watching the nasty looks sent at me from Rachel and the triumphant, possessive ones she sent towards Percy. So I just didn't look at them.

However, not too far into our walk, I felt a presence slide into the space beside me. "How's West Burge?"

I turned to look at Percy, smiling. "It's so cool. I love these small towns, and how everybody seems to know everybody."

As if to prove my point, a childish voice squeaked out, "Percy!"

A second later, a small, brown-haired girl flung herself at Percy, who caught her and spun her around, laughing.

"Hey, Julia," he said, once he had settled down and was now holding the girl in his arms. She grinned at him, showing him a row of missing teeth.

"Look! I lost another tooth!" she said excitedly, pointing at her mouth.

Percy grinned. "So I see. Let's hope they grow back in, so you don't look like a hillbilly farmer."

She giggled. My lips tugged into a smile watching them interact. It was cute, how so many of these little kids loved Percy and he loved them right back. Piper and Jason had walked around us, so all of our friends were walking ahead while we had paused.

"Julia, this is Minerva, my cousin," he explained, gesturing to me. "She's visiting for a little while."

Julia looked at me with big brown eyes. "She's really pretty."

I laughed, but Percy just said with twinkling eyes, "She is, isn't she?"

Cue the red cheeks from me.

Someone cleared their throat ahead of us, and all three of us turned to see Rachel, waiting impatiently on the sidewalk. I was about to wonder if she had heard what Percy had said, but when I saw the deadly look in her gaze, I knew the answer.

Percy bit his lip, looking at his girlfriend's expression. "It was good to see you, Julia. You should go find your mommy, though, okay?"

"Okay. Goodbye, Percy! Goodbye, Merva!" she said happily, saying my fake name wrong as Percy let her down on the ground. She turned and was about to run to find her mom when she pivoted and came back to Percy. She gave his legs a bear-hug, as that was the only place she could reach. My heart practically melted.

Percy chuckled. "Goodbye to you too, Julia." She smiled, content with this, then took off down the street, vanishing from view.

Rachel looked at Percy, her eyes hard. Then without saying anything else, she turned and stalked off towards our friends retreating backs.

Percy exhaled resignedly, running a hand through his messy hair. He stuck his fingers back in his pocket, continuing to walk. I stumbled to catch up to him, and we caught up to the group together in silence.

For the better part of a couple hours, we all walked around, window-shopping and greeting more friends. I met a countless number of people, all of them extremely polite. It was a nice change, a lot different from the aloof crowd of Hollywood.

We were now in a small clothing shop, and I laughed and hung out with Piper and Hazel. Hazel grew onto me fast, and I knew we'd be great friends. I just wish I could tell her the truth, but I couldn't risk it. The magazines were already searching continuously for the absent Annabeth Chase. At any little notice, they'd surround that place, looking for me.

"I think this looks like you," Piper said, handing a teal dress to Hazel.

Hazel pursed her lips. "I love it, but it's so expensive."

I bit my lip, looking away. I could easily buy it, but she didn't know that. I wanted to get it for her, however, I didn't want that to raise questions.

It was weird to think I knew a few people who could probably purchase this entire town. What Percy had said all those nights ago, about how the celebrities and the everyday people living in different lives-that made sense to me now.

"Hey, guys," Rachel said suddenly as she slid into our group. I glanced at her, then did a double-take.

She was smiling at me.

Actually smiling.

That instantly made me beyond suspicious, and I caught Piper sending her a cautious look, too. Hazel just greeted her before looking through the clothes again.

"So, Minerva, what were you saying about where you lived?" Rachel asked, her voice friendly. I raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't saying anything about it," I countered. "But I live in Iowa."

"Hm," she said, peering thoughtfully at an awful beige colored skirt. "Interesting place. Have you ever met any celebrities?"

Hazel frowned, glancing up at her friend. "Celebrities? That was random."

"Just curious," Rachel mused, moving to another article of clothing.

Alarm bells were going off in my head. She was acting friendly, which was enough to make me wary. But these questions were sending me warning signals.

"Hey, actually, I wanted to see if you could come look at this, Rachel," I said to her, my voice as nice as hers. "I'll be right back." I sent Piper a discreet look, asking her to keep Hazel here, and she nodded once before talking to Hazel once more.

I turned and walked to the other side of the store, where it was deserted. As we passed the front of the shop, I could see the boys conversing outside, them having chosen to stay away from us girls shopping. Smart choice.

I stopped in front a huge shelf of t-shirts, pretending to look at them and showing one to Rachel.

"What are you doing?" I said to her. My facial expression looked casual, but my tone was ice cold.

"Nothing," she said. "Just asking questions."

"Then stop."

She scoffed. "You can't tell me what to do, even if you're some popular movie star, Annabeth."

"Shut up!" I hissed, glancing around quickly. "Don't let anybody hear you!"

"Because you want to keep this all a secret?" she said, rounding on me. I actually took a step back at the sudden fury in her eyes. "Just like you and Percy are keeping a secret behind my back?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, replying indignantly, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, just stop pretending! Maybe you think you can act, but I know you like him!"

"You've said that before."

"And now I'm saying it again, and you aren't protesting. I would bet you two are-are doing something behind my back!"

"Well, then you'd lose your money," I stated. "Because none of that is true."

"Don't mess with me," she said, her voice dangerously low.

I lost it. "You know, all this is stupid and hypocritical coming from you, seeing as you blew your relationship apart when you cheated on him!"

That probably didn't make the situation any better.

Rachel looked utterly shocked, and I watched as a symphony of emotions decorated we face, one by one. Surprise, anger, guilt, uncertainty, then anger again. She was mad.

"Shut up. You have no clue what happened, and my relationship is still _fine_!"

I took a deep breath, counting to ten. "Just get off my case, Rachel. Try acting nice, every once in a while."

"Excuse me?" she said, her voice rising. I didn't even care anymore who heard us, though. "'Try acting nice'? You're one to talk. Well, guess what-not everything can be perfect for you. You know why?"

I rolled my eyes, folding a t-shirt up slowly. "Oh, please. Try and make me mad, Rachel."

The next instant, a cell phone was thrust into my face, and I swore as it almost hit my nose unexpectedly. The t-shirt in my hands fell to the floor as I jerked back. "What are . . . ?"

But my words died as I saw a number on the screen, ready to call. She just had to press the green button.

"What is this?" I asked, pushing it away.

She had an evil smile on her face. "Oh, you know. Just a friend of mine that said to call me up if I ever saw Annabeth Chase. Him and his camera would be delighted to know you are here in this town."

Everything froze in my world. Even my own heartbeat, it seemed. "What?" I breathed, staring at her incredulously.

"What are you going to do about it?" Rachel said, her voice cracking. "I can just press this call button, and I can send you back to Hollywood with lots of rumors, where you can be with your sweet Luke. Percy will forget about you so soon, and you'll forget about him, because you two just weren't ever meant to be."

"Rachel," I tried to say calmly. My heart had picked up it's pace again, beating impossibly fast. I believed her-I had no doubt that the number on her phone was real. "Stop being stupid."

"No!" she said quickly, her eyes shining. "You need to stop intruding on our lives! You don't belong here!" Her thumb moved closer to the dreaded green button. I saw out of the corner of my eye Piper and Hazel looking over at us curiously, probably wondering about the yelling. Hopefully everybody outside that could hear this just thought it was a cat fight over some shirt on sale.

"Stop," I repeated, holding a hand out like I was reaching for an untamed and wild dog that was threatening to bite my hand off. "Just put the phone down, we'll talk this through, Rachel."

"No," she said, her voice dropping to an anxious whisper. "I have to do this, Annabeth. You have to understand. This is even better for you. You don't belong here-you need to go back to your home."

"Guys?" Piper's voice came from across the store.

Rachel glanced over momentarily, and I used the distraction to my advantage.

I lunged towards the red-haired girl, reaching for her phone. But she just yanked it out of my grasp, stumbling back. I advanced once more, grabbing at her t-shirt to get a better hold. Her hand took a fistful of my hair, yanking back in an attempt to get me off of her. Tears welled up at the pain, and I was glad the concussion was gone. Despite the pain, though, I didn't give up.

My hand flew to the side, and I swatted the phone. We both watched as it tumbled over, landing with a sharp crack on the hard ground. The screen shattered, and the case came off. The life in the device blinked off, and I felt a rush of relief overtake me.

But Rachel screeched in rage, and when I turned back to her, she had raised a hand. I didn't even have time to think about blocking it as her palm came towards my cheek. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the stinging slap coming.

However, it didn't land. Instead, Rachel let out a surprised yelp, making my eyes open again. I saw Percy right beside me, his hand wrapped around Rachel's wrist, stopping the motion. Her eyes widened, and I saw tears that reflected mine in them. I blinked rapidly, clearing my blurred vision as best as I could.

"What the hell, Rachel!" he yelled, releasing his hold on his girlfriend, but he pushed her away from me. I felt a hand lay on my shoulder and I turned to see Jason standing there, Piper at his side. I looked back to Percy and Rachel, seeing her cower in the corner as Percy stood over her. His shoulders were tense with anger, and his mouth was a tight line.

"Was giving her a concussion not enough?" he spat, his eyes full of rage.

She couldn't even talk, and Percy was about to say something else when Jason said, "Percy, stop."

Percy opened his mouth, but closed it. Then he whirled around, coming over to me and taking my hand. I opened my clenched palm, wrapping my fingers around his. Just being this close to him, I felt safe now. The sudden terror from Rachel's threat lessened, as if Percy was scaring it all away and letting me breathe.

"Come on," he said, tugging me away. I followed him, pushing the hair out of my face and looking back at Rachel, who still stood by the t-shirts. The shattered glass on the ground beside her looked like diamonds.

Piper and Jason came behind us, Jason's hand having transferred to Piper's back, steering her out.

"No!" Rachel's voice sounded from behind us, the tone frantic. "Don't go out there!"

Percy ignored her, his jaw taut as he headed outside.

"No!" she repeated, and I heard footsteps approaching us. Rachel appeared in front of me and Percy, stopping our journey towards the door. "You can't go out!"

Percy just pushed past her, bringing me with him. Rachel tried to grab at me, but I avoided her hand, giving her a disgusted look.

Heat hit me as Percy opened the door, leading me outside. Rachel tried to give us one more warning, and this time, her words made my heart pause for the second time that day.

"They're out there!"

Percy, not having heard our previous conversation, kept on walking. The corded muscles under his dark shirt moved with each step, and they tightened as I resisted following him for a moment.

"What?" he asked concernedly, looking back at me with those green eyes.

Before I could say anything, I heard a click, like a camera taking a picture, and then, "Annabeth Chase!"

My heart dropped as I turned and looked straight into a large camera, with at least five more pointing at me.

* * *

**Muahaha. Cliffy.**

**Anywho, sorry for the fairly long wait. I'm regaining inspiration slowly, but a big thing that's taking my time is my new story on Wattpad.**

**WHAT WOULD MAKE ME SUPER GRATEFUL! is if some of my readers could go check out my new story on Wattpad. It's called "Little Lady." My username is "Sophia-Dee", and here's the description:**

_"The Little Lady._

_Nobody but a select few know about it, but Little Lady is the sibling of Little Boy—the nuclear bomb that dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. However, Little Lady is much more powerful than that of it's sibling, and with it comes a much larger threat. _

_It's up to a seventeen-year-old, hard-headed and sarcastic girl, and the skilled and fierce young man she meets. Together, they face the world. Follow Izabelle and Holden as they travel through betrayals, trials, and hold-ups, each needing to be strong enough to get through to the end."_

**So what would make me really happy, and would give you guys a faster update, would be if you could give me some support on my new story... like, I would be ecstatic if at least four of you were able to check out and give me some feedback on Little Lady. Ecstatic enough to try extra hard for City Girl, Country Boy. :)**

**Thanks for reviewing! Q&amp;A:**

Sweet Cats: **Don't worry about the Perachel . . . as you can see, Percy is not very happy with her. ;)**

SwanDestiny: **As I understand, lack of inspiration is where you just don't want to write, and writer's block is where you've reached a dead end in your story and you have no clue what to write next. I'd take lack of inspiration over writer's block. :)**

**Thanks guys, I love you all! PLEASE check out my new story, and support on that end would make a new update for this story come a lot faster. :) Love you. **


	16. Chapter 16

If it wasn't for Percy's quick thinking, the paparazzi would've gotten plenty more pictures.

Before any more cameras could be clicked, Percy slipped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. I went crashing into his chest, and my first thought was, _Weird timing for a hug._

Then I realized that my face was now hidden from the cameras and a burst of gratefulness bloomed in me for Percy's snappy reflexes.

After that, it was pandemonium. My senses were all confused—all I could see and smell was Percy's shirt. Shouting emitted from beside me, and I recognized Piper's voice.

"What are your guys' problems?" she yelled. Her voice moved, and I knew she had stepped in front of me. "Why are you saying 'Annabeth Chase'?" More quick thinking on her part.

Percy started walking away, and I kept my head buried in his shirt, terror pushing my heart to pound around my ribcage.

I felt hands grab at me—unfamiliar hands. But Percy kept walking, and he pushed the unwelcome palms off of me, bringing me somewhere. Shouted questions were being thrown at me mercilessly, and I pressed myself even farther into Percy, searching for that comfort his presence gave me.

"Hang on, Wise Girl," he told me. I could feel his mouth on my curls. "I'll get you home."

He sounded so calm—so in charge of the situation—that I believed him.

A few seconds later, another voice joined the maelstrom, and I recognized it as Percy. I couldn't exactly hear his words, but it sounded like he was asking a question.

For some reason, the paparazzi behind me seem to have faded, like they weren't as close. After a moment, a car door opened and Percy gently sat me down in a seat. I was detached from him, losing his warmth.

In an attempt to cover my face, I pressed my hands to my head. I peeked through my fingers, though, to see what was going on.

I was in a car—one that was foreign to me. It was a small car, with a McDonald's meal in the front cup holders and a car scent thing dangling from the rear view mirror. I wondered who's it was.

The door on the driver's side opened and I hid my face again, but I heard Percy instead of a reporter.

"It's okay, Annabeth," he said. He sat down and started the engine. His calm tone belied his panic, it seemed, for I was almost thrown into the dashboard as he backed up quickly.

Then he shifted gears, revving it before shooting onto a road.

"They're gone," he said.

I slowly lifted my head, taking my hands away. We were driving down through town, heading back home.

Home. It was weird, but whenever I thought of home, my mind brought me to the farmhouse in a small town of Colorado.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked me, taking me out of my musing.

I sniffled, wiping my face. It didn't help, seeing as though my face was coated in makeup. When I brought my sleeve away, I saw a myriad of tans, blacks, and pinks. I probably looked like a half-melted doll right now.

"I'm fine," I managed to say strongly.

But no. I wasn't. The paparazzi found me. They got at least one picture of me, and that could be enough. I could be recognized, and the next magazine would be about how Annabeth Chase is in a small, good-for-nothing town in Colorado, with nobody friends and is probably pregnant with one of the nobody's kids and that I was ending my career and becoming a saloon girl.

Utter rubbish. But that rubbish would ruin everything for me. My mother would be furious. She'd take me away from here, and practically put me in a dungeon—A.K.A. my house in San Francisco where I was bombarded with angry fans and eager reporters who were out to damage my life even more.

My mind paused on the "take me away from here" part. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to leave Colorado, the big house on the hill I called home now, the horses, Porkpie especially, my new friends, and—Percy.

Oh, gods. Just thinking about leaving Percy and not seeing him again made nausea slither into my stomach and squeeze my heart painfully.

I glanced over at Percy. His knuckles were white, clenched tightly onto the steering wheel as he zoomed out of town at twice the speed limit. The jawline of his face stood out, it being clasped together in what looked like frustration. His eyes held anger, far worse than the anger in his eyes when he was yelling at Rachel.

And this was all because of me, I bet. I started all the bad fights between Rachel and him, and now I was going to have his hometown all over the news—and the reports about it probably won't be too nice. I've ruined his day as well, and also his whole summer. Maybe Rachel was right. I shouldn't have come here.

I don't belong here.

"I'm sorry, Percy," I muttered. I looked away right as his head whipped around to look at me. I didn't want to see the contempt and disappointment in his expression.

"You're sorry?" he asked. "Why are you sorry? I'm the one that should be saying sorry."

Now I did look at him, confusion scrunching my eyebrows. "What?"

He sighed, putting his eyes back on the road. "Gods, I messed up. I shouldn't have brought you here—I was even the one to suggest it in the first place. And Rachel—that's my fault too. I should've made sure she didn't do something like that." He had anger in his voice when he talked about her, and I almost felt bad for her for what she was going to get from Percy—but then I remembered everything that just happened. She was going to call the paparazzi, and she had known they were out the door. I bet she even called them there.

Percy continued. "This is all my fault. Now you could be recognized, and you might leave." His voice cracked on that word, and he coughed, clearing his throat. "_I'm _sorry."

We were quiet for a few moments, each chasing around our own thoughts.

Then I said, "Well, thank you. For . . . watching out for me."

He sighed. "If you're talking about Rachel—" he spat her name, "—then you don't have to worry about that. If _anybody _tries—or even thinks—about hurting you, they're going to have to answer to me. And trust me, it won't be pretty."

A flower of warmth opened in my chest at that. Protective Percy made me get all warm and gooey inside.

"Thanks anyways," I stated, shifting in my seat. The car smelled like greasy food, and it wasn't doing well with my stomach, which was already nauseous. "How did you know about—about everything?"

He bit his bottom lip, staring at the passing yellow lines on the road, glinting in the midday sun. "Well, there were a bunch of people gathering outside the shop, all carrying bags. I thought maybe it was a field trip or something, but I went inside to check on you girls. And—all that happened." He was quiet for a moment. "Then we came back out, and the reporters were there. Don't worry, we stopped them pretty fast. I saw a friend who was watching it all, and he let me use his car." He gestured to the vehicle we were in. "As I got you in the car, Piper, Jason, Leo, Hazel and Frank all held back the paparazzi for you, along with a few of the locals who knew something not right was happening."

That made me so grateful I couldn't even describe it. People from the town I didn't even know helping me out, and they had no clue what they were getting themselves into. Plus Hazel and Frank, who were probably so confused, but they helped me anyways.

"I wish I could thank them," I replied quietly.

"I'll tell them for you," he said. "But I hope you'll be able to yourself."

I nodded, and we lapsed into silence once more.

In about half the time that it took to drive to town, we were back at the ranch. Poseidon was standing outside, tapping his foot impatiently. I saw him frown when he saw the unfamiliar car, but then he saw the two kids inside and his face cleared up, only to be contorted with worry and anxiety once more.

When we pulled up next to him, Poseidon opened my door before Percy shut off the engine.

"Are you all right?" he asked frantically, tugging me out and holding me by the shoulders. He looked me up and down, like a worried parent searching for wounds. "Jason called and told me. He and the rest of the crew are on their way."

I nodded. "I'm totally fine," I lied.

"I don't know if the reporters were crazy enough to try to follow you two, but just in case, you better come into the house."

Percy nodded, coming around and placing an open hand on my back, guiding me into the house as if the paparazzi were still around.

Percy and Poseidon sat down at the kitchen counter, and Poseidon demanded to know the full story. As Percy recounted the details, I excused myself to the bathroom under the pretense that I wanted to get the gunk off of my face.

Well, that was true. But I also needed time to myself. I was absolutely terrified. My mom was going to be so mad. I probably just got Piper in major trouble too, since she was supposed to be looking after.

I scrubbed my tears and makeup away, watching as my true self came into view. Annabeth Chase.

I couldn't switch my face. I couldn't be someone other than who I was, no matter how hard I wished. The thoughts invading my brain depressed me, so I turned away from my reflection, slinging my hair up into a ponytail as I ditched my Yankees cap.

Before I could change into something more comfortable, I heard a car drive up. I leaned out the window and recognized Poseidon's truck and one other car. Piper and Jason got out of the truck, so I was assuming the rest of the clan was in the other car.

Bringing my head back in, I started towards the door, aiming to go downstairs.

Poseidon and his son were still at the counter, and they looked up as I came in. Then all of our eyes went to the door as it jiggled and opened, emitting six people. Everybody that had been in town with me.

Unfortunately, that included Rachel.

When Percy saw his girlfriend, he instantly shot up and headed over to me, a warning look in his eyes as he watched Rachel. She didn't look like she was going to do anything, though. Tear stains lined her cheeks, and she wouldn't meet anybody's gaze, she just stared dejectedly at the ground.

Piper rushed over to me, passing Percy. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Gods, I'm stupid. I should've been more careful."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, but it's none of your guys' fault. You couldn't have known about the reporters."

Except for Rachel.

She seemed to hear my thought, and a wince ran through her.

Hazel and Frank were both staring wide-eyed at me, my face recognizable as the famous movie star without my makeup.

I frowned, about to ask a question, but Jason beat me with the answer.

"They know the whole story," Jason told me. Then he dipped his head in Rachel's direction. "I brought her. I don't know what to do."

He didn't sound very pleased.

Leo didn't either as he started talking. "If she had anything to do with this, I'm not gonna be a happy camper."

"Guys, it's fine," I mumbled, but they ignored me.

Percy had been silent, breathing deeply, but he spoke up. "I want to talk with Rachel."

The room became silent. I could slice the tension with my fingernail. Rachel took a shuddering breath, but made no other move.

Without saying anything else, Percy started walking to the living room. Jason pushed her slightly to make her follow him.

Before she disappeared around the corner, she snuck a look at me.

Her mascara was running down now, and I saw more tears brimming in her eyes. She had a haunted look about her.

Piper placed a hand on my shoulder, glaring at Rachel. The red-head hurried her steps, going into the living room.

We all got one more glance of Percy's eyes filled with rage before he slammed the french doors shut, cutting him and his girlfriend off from the rest of us. The resounding "boom" echoed across the hall to the kitchen.

Everybody still hadn't spoken a word.

Then I said, "Thank you all. For helping me."

A chorus of "No problem, Annabeth"s and "It's okay"s followed. I gave them smiles, which they returned.

But that didn't distract us from what was going on in the living room.

We could hear shouting—from both of them.

"This doesn't sound good, guys," Hazel said timidly, biting her nails. "I've never heard Percy get this mad."

"Was it Rachel's fault?" Frank asked then.

I sighed, but Piper said, "I think it was." She told them what she had heard, about how Rachel was threatening to call, and I got the phone away, and then she knew about the paparazzi outside.

"So yes," Piper concluded with anger. "It was Rachel's fault."

"Well," Leo said hesitantly. "Let's not be too hasty in blaming her. I mean, she hasn't done anything this mean before."

At that, Poseidon and I exchanged glances. As far as I knew, he and I were the only ones to know about Rachel's earlier cheating. A question lit in my eye, and Poseidon saw it.

He rubbed his forehead, exhaling deeply. "I probably shouldn't be the one to tell you all this, but you need to know. Story time, kids," he rumbled.

So as Rachel and Percy worked their stuff out, Poseidon launched into the story of how Rachel cheated on Percy. Except this time, he included the man Rachel had been unfaithful with.

"It was Octavian," Poseidon said. I remembered Octavian. Percy had pointed him out to me during the Fourth of July party. He had said things like he didn't like Octavian, and that Octavian wasn't very nice, but I hadn't taken it to heart.

Now I did.

There were mixed reactions at the news.

Leo and Frank both looked like they wanted to kill Octavian, saying, "I knew that piece of scum was good for nothing."

Hazel was more shocked that Rachel had cheated. Piper just frowned, listening intently.

Jason appeared hurt. "He was cheated on? By Rachel? He never told me." He looked down at his feet, his face anguished. "Gods, I acted so stupid sometimes, saying that he needed to stay with Rachel, because she hasn't done anything to him." He looked like he was cursing himself in his head, self-hatred evident in the lines of his expression.

Piper placed a hand on his arm, to which he looked at gratefully.

"It's not your fault, Jason," I said to him. "Percy was just being Percy, keeping Rachel's reputation safe and staying loyal to her."

"Well, she doesn't really deserve that now," Leo said, crossing his arms. His brown curls bounced in his face as he shook his head.

I was about to answer when the living room door flew open. Everybody pivoted, watching as Percy came stomping out, looking like he was going to murder someone.

"Rachel needs to talk to you," he said shortly, looking at me.

My eyebrows drew together, and Piper made a move to resist Percy's words, but he just said reassuringly, "Don't worry. She's not going to do anything other than apologize for her actions."

I swallowed, not really wanting to go see Rachel, but I knew I had better. So with reluctance, I pushed myself over to the living room door, which was hanging open.

Percy's whole body was still taut, tension bringing out his muscles at his shoulders and neck. As I passed him, I brushed my hand across his, trying to ease his discomfort. He relaxed slightly, inhaling largely.

I entered the living room, looking about the familiar couches and coffee table, the flat-screen on the wall holding my reflection.

Rachel stood at the window, looking outside at the horses grazing peacefully. Her long hair cascaded down her back, a red wave falling to her waist.

I stopped about five feet away, looking cautiously at her.

For a moment, she didn't say anything. Then she croaked, "I'm sorry."

I wanted to say in return, "It's okay." But I couldn't get it to come out with honesty, so I just didn't say anything.

Luckily for me, she continued through the silence. "I know you probably hate me, and you have a right to. But I want you to know that I am honestly sorry. And everything I said to you . . . well, it's not true. I was just jealous."

"Why were you jealous?" I finally spoke up. "You have nothing to be jealous of, because trust me, my life isn't worth being jealous about."

She now turned to look at me. Her makeup ran down her face, and there were still tears there. She was hugging her own body, as if she were trying to hold herself together. Overall, the picture of her was pitiful—she looked like a sorrowful, guilty mess. A mess that was turning me into a mess as well.

"I'm not jealous about your life," she said. "I'm jealous of you, and the way Percy looks at you."

What? My eyebrows shot up. "What are talking about?"

She scoffed, laughing humorlessly. "You are so oblivious. Both of you."

"I—," I tried to make my voice work, but it didn't happen for a little while. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

She sniffled, looking to her side at the picture frame on the stand. It had a baby Percy grinning up at the camera, his chubby cheeks showing dimples even at that age, his green eyes sparkling above them.

"Percy never said 'I love you' to me," she said.

That was random, so I just waited for her to elaborate.

And she did. "He never said it, and for the first year, I didn't let it bother me. I just thought he was waiting for the right moment, and I thought that was sweet. But as time went on, he made no move to say it, and I got restless. Doubt invaded my mind. I thought maybe he didn't like me anymore. So I—I cheated on him."

Her voice broke, and fresh tears started to fall. "I don't know why, I just acted so stupidly. I just wanted to feel . . . wanted. I wanted to feel loved. Of course, that just messed my life up more. It was the worst mistake I ever made, and after that, I knew I had just lost my full relationship with Percy, and I was never going to regain it. Sure, he stayed with me, but that's just because he's the sweetest person and he didn't want me to feel so bad.

"Then you came," she said. Her wet eyes met mine, but I didn't see hatred, I just saw curiosity. "The first time I saw you and Percy, I knew I had found trouble. From the start, Percy looked at you like you were the most special thing. He looked at you like you were a delicate flower, but also a strong and beautiful woman. I never really hated _you, _Annabeth, I just hated the way that you kind of stole Percy.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't say 'stole.' I never really had Percy from the start. I began to realize that he never said 'I love you' to me because he never felt that way—I wasn't the girl for him, and so he wasn't going to give me that commitment. But you . . . I was sure that someday, he would say that to you."

Surprise struck me speechless. He would say that to me someday? What? "I think you're mistaken—"

"No," she said urgently. "I'm not. He likes you, Annabeth. I knew that from when he was so protective over you, to the way he held you or helped you out. You can make him smile so easily. Every time you walk into the room, it's like his day brightens up. He watches your every movement like every little thing you do is his lifeline."

I stared at the carpet, soaking this all in. Surely she must be mistaking Percy for someone else. He couldn't be like that—he couldn't do all those things she just said.

He doesn't like me.

So why was such a big part of me inclined to believe Rachel? I wanted to believe Rachel.

"But—"

She cut me off again. "I can't tell the future like some oracle or something, but would bet millions of dollars on what I just said."

Taking a shaky breath, she kept admitting and talking. "And all that—that made me jealous. So that drove my actions, and I know they were horrible and unforgivable. I had called the paparazzi, my mind just overrun by envy and stupidity. Then I threatened to call them, but I already had. I just wanted to see your reaction. I was being sadistic. And I'm sorry. Percy broke up with me just now, and that's probably the best thing. I don't deserve someone like him. He deserves better—a lot better. He deserves someone that will make him happy, not let him down. Someone that will make him smile, not make him sad. Someone that will stay with him through thick and thin, not become disloyal. Someone like you, Annabeth."

Oxygen was not coming to my throat in big enough drafts. I bet because my throat was clogged, omitting my voice.

"No," I muttered, my voice cracking from the emotions raging about in me. I felt weak and strong, happy and distraught. "I can't be that someone, Rachel. I don't belong here. I'm going to leave soon, especially if the reporters recognize me. My mom will be furious. It—it just won't work."

She flinched at the reporters part, and guilt shone from her eyes. However, she also had determination. "I think if you wanted it enough, you could make it work," she said honestly. "But . . . Percy might not be ready. He's been through something he never should have been through. You might have to wait. But don't let him go, Annabeth. He's totally worth it."

She had a blissful wist on her face as she said those words, but her composure also screamed sadness. She knew she lost him.

I took a huge breath, forcing oxygen into my lungs. "Rachel, what you did might be unforgivable, but—let's just try and forget all our past together. Let's just start over."

She looked slowly at me, her eyes narrowed as she tried to gauge my reaction. When she saw that I was telling the truth, that I was giving her a second chance with me, a tentative smile grew on her face.

"Annabeth, please forgive me for all I thought about you," she said. "You're the kindest person I've ever met, besides Percy."

I smiled in return. "Don't say that too soon. You don't know me too well. So, deal? Start over?"

I stuck my hand out, but instead of shaking it, she just ran forward and gave me a big hug.

I tensed up at first at the embrace, but then I relaxed into it. Then she leaned back, grinning. Sorrow tinged her mouth, but she looked like she was going to get through it all.

"Come on, let's get back outside," I said to my new friend.

Fear started to trace her expression, but I gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze, leading her out.

Everybody was in the kitchen, and they turned to look at me and Rachel as we entered.

For a moment, silence laid over the room, and shifted worriedly. They all watched us like hawks, but they seemed somewhat relieved when they saw that Rachel and I stood together in companionable silence, looking at ease with each other.

Then Rachel said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I just did, and I know I've acted like an A—class bit-"

"Language," Leo reprimanded. Then he cracked a grin, saying, "But apology accepted, Red."

She looked stunned, then she ran up and gave him a huge hug. He laughed, hugging her back. One by one, they all forgave her. She grew happier by the minute. I knew they were true friends, because only the best of friends could forgive such horrible actions so quickly, looking past that all.

Then she reached Percy. We all became quiet again as they faced each other. Rachel was searching his face while he looked at the ground, hands in his pocket.

"Percy—"

"I'm sorry," he said. "But you and I wouldn't have worked anyway. I don't want to hurt you, but—"

"Percy," she repeated firmly. "It's okay. I know, you and I just weren't meant for each other. I'm just happy for the time I did get with you."

He smiled tightly, looking at her gratefully. With one last smile to everyone in the room, she headed towards the door, stepping out and disappearing from sight.

"Well, that was a day," Poseidon said. We all hummed in agreement, and Percy rubbed a hand over his head.

"You okay?" Jason asked his friend, looking at the black-haired boy.

Percy exhaled. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just gonna go to bed early."

With that, he started towards the stairs, ignoring my concerned gaze, and stepped up. It was only around five o'clock. That was pretty early for going to bed.

I felt guilt rise up in me again. I was one of the reasons he broke up his girlfriend, and I knew he wasn't taking everything well.

My mind flew back to what Rachel told me. If that was true, then I was beyond ecstatic.

But I respected her other words, saying that Percy might not be ready yet.

However, I wholeheartedly believed he was worth the wait.

* * *

**Thanks for the support on Little Lady! I'm super excited for that story. :) The second chapter is up, btw. **

**Heey, I went to see Inside Out yesterday. It's hilarious. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest it. I love the imaginary boyfriend, because it's so true. All girls dream up a perfect guy that would "die for you" XD Anyways, sorry. I'm rambling. :)**

**Q&amp;A and chat**

NeverBetAgainstGirls:** Thanks so much for checking out Little Lady! It means a lot! :)**

To all of you reviewers:** You're reactions at last chapter's cliffhanger was priceless. So many of you were so mad, blaming Uncle Rick for putting a delight for cliffies in author's heads (it's true) or threatening to judo flip Rachel into a volcano. XD Seriously, they all made me laugh. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

"Stay safe, Annabeth," Piper told me as she hugged me tightly. "Don't let this all get to you-we'll figure something out, don't worry."

I squeezed her back. "Okay. I wish you could've stayed longer."

She sighed, leaning back. "Yeah, me too. But it's up to your mom, and after what happened yesterday . . ."

Piper's sentence faded, but I got her meaning. Nothing, thankfully, had shown up in any magazines yet, and I knew it was taking all of my mother's power and Malcolm's and quite a few more other people who were helpful to keep it all at bay.

But my mother had sent me a phone call last night. I had sat there in misery as she yelled at me, telling me I was reckless and that I'd probably just ended my stay here in Colorado.

That was what hurt the most.

"Send me news about what's going on as soon as possible," I told my best friend, managing a smile.

She smiled as well. "I will. Don't get too bored here without me!" she added jokingly, backing up to Poseidon's truck. He was waiting patiently inside, ready to take her to the airport. Jason was in the backseat. His excuse to go was that he "wanted to keep Mr. Jackson company."

Bogus.

But it still made me smile genuinely. Jason and Piper had hit off extraordinarily well, and I was happy for her. Hopefully they'd be able to keep it up.

I waved one last time to the trio before Poseidon sped out of the driveway, disappearing into the trees. A sigh escaped my lips. I already felt rather lonely with her gone.

But it wasn't going to be as bad here. I had Hazel now, and maybe even Rachel. However, the latter probably wouldn't work. I doubt she'd feel comfortable at the ranch right now, and I don't think Percy would appreciate it either.

Speaking of Percy . . .

My eyes flew to the stable where said person was currently residing. I'd barely seen him for the past day.

He'd gone to his room last night like he told us, but I didn't think he went to bed then.

Everybody else had left almost right away. It had been a taxing day, and most of us just wanted to relax. However, relaxation wouldn't come to me. Not after what had just happened. So I ended up tossing and turning in my bed for at least four hours, finally falling asleep around two in the morning. It didn't help that I could hear Percy moving around in the other room as well. He was pacing back and forth.

This morning, he had gone out to supposedly start on some chores before I even woke up. Though when I looked around for him, I couldn't find him anywhere.

He had shown up at lunch to say goodbye to Piper, then disappeared, this time saying he was going to the stables.

I wanted to go to him, see if he was okay-if he needed anything. I wanted to comfort him like he comforted me that one time I desperately needed a shoulder to cry on.

But I was the reason he was feeling all this anyways. I doubt he'd want to see me.

Just another thing that was hurting me at the moment.

So I decided to go back into the kitchen.

Apparently, my feet thought otherwise, because I ended up going to the stables.

"Stupid," I muttered to myself as I walked. "He doesn't want to see me."

But I still kept walking. I guess I was more determined and brave than I first believed so, for I carried myself into the stables and looked around for that black-haired boy who was making my feelings go crazy.

Horses nickered greetings to me as I passed their stables. I paused for a moment to pet Porkpie.

"Hey, boy," I crooned. "I haven't been able to spend too much time with you recently, have I?"

He tossed his head in agreement, tugging a slight chuckle out of me. I jogged over to the feeding room real quick, grabbing a handful of oats. Then I walked back out carefully, holding my hand out to the yellow horse.

Porkpie snorted in approval, plunging his muzzle into my hand. I laughed as he ate with fervor, almost biting my pinkie, spilling some of the food onto the ground.

"You're gonna make him fat."

I almost dropped the oats when I heard Percy's voice. It was close to me, and I turned to see he was standing in the next stall-which was empty-watching me with those sea-green eyes.

"I didn't even see you there, Seaweed Brain," I said, brushing the last crumbs off my palms.

He didn't answer, just looked at me curiously.

"What?" I asked, bringing a hand up to my hair self-consciously. I thought I had remembered to brush it earlier today, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

A ghost of a smile touched his face. "You look fine, Annabeth. Beautiful, really."

I turned red, stammering out something incoherent.

Then he gestured to me, and I followed his beckoning by exiting Porkpie's stall to enter the neighboring one.

"What?" I repeated, but this time with a different question in mind.

Percy didn't say anything. Rachel's words suddenly rushed back to me. For the billionth time, I wondered if what she had said was true, or if she was just mistaken. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter, but I found myself wishing so hard that it all was true.

"How're you doing?" I blurted out.

He looked at me, then looked away, out the window of the stall. It faced the paddock, so we had a nice view of the other horses grazing together in the afternoon sun. A hazy atmosphere was present, almost like time had stilled. I could see dust particles in the air, floating lazily around. The neighing of the horses and the smell of the equestrians all filled my senses.

Percy was lit up by the sun streaming in, his black t-shirt contrasting with the brightness. He had his hands placed causally in his pockets as he leaned against the wall of the stall. I stood in front of him uncertainly, thinking I maybe shouldn't have been too forward like that.

"Fine," Percy replied vaguely. It didn't sound like he was doing too fine.

I took a deep breath, brushing some loose hair out of my face. "Look, Percy, I'm sorry."

He frowned and opened his mouth to ask a question but I kept talking. "I'm sorry for-for coming between you and Rachel. I was the one that drove a nail into your relationship, and I know I had something to do with breaking you two up. So I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"Annabeth, our relationship was already unsteady. It wasn't going to last-I don't even know how it lasted as long as it did," he said. He sighed shakily. "It just was long enough to leave only a few things unscathed."

I inwardly flinched. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," he said. "It wasn't your fault."

"But it was!" I persisted, biting my lip for a pause before continuing in the same desperate manner. "It was. Maybe if I hadn't come you both would've been fine. And West Burge. Now it's going to have quite a bit of rumors circling around it, and I bet you'll have some too, about yourself. Gods, I just messed everything up. I shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"No," he said firmly. It wasn't loud, but it left a ringing echo around my brain. "No, don't say that, Annabeth. Don't ever say that. Whatever you think-whatever presumptions about anybody who lives around West Burge not wanting you here, get rid of them."

I raised my eyes to peer into his steady ones.

"I don't care what happens because of those stupid reporters," he said shortly. "I'm so glad you got to come, that I got to meet you."

"Percy-"

"No. You're one of my best friends, Annabeth. I don't want to hear you say that you wish things could be different."

I hurried to protest. "No! I'm not saying that! Gods, I'm beyond grateful that I got to be here, to meet you and all of your friends. I care about you all so much, and that's why I wish I hadn't been here. I've brought nothing but trouble."

"Even if that was true, I wouldn't care. I'd take you with trouble over a perfect day without you any time. Besides, it's not possible. No day could ever be perfect without you, Wise Girl."

Aw. My heart almost melted at that. "Percy . . ." I trailed off, not really knowing what I was going to say.

However, I did know one thing.

I knew that now, staring at Percy with that determination in his eyes as he told me that I was worth that much to him, my feelings for him intensified greatly. I felt a sort of ache in my chest, like I needed to just touch him right now.

"Percy, thank you," I said quietly. "Thank you for being . . . just, you. That's enough. You're able to make me feel special, and that right now is probably a major feat, what with the way I'm feeling with everything going on."

He shrugged slightly, taking a step closer to me. I could reach out and touch his chest if I wanted to-I wouldn't have to move that far.

But I held myself back.

"You deserve to feel special, Annabeth," he whispered. "Because you are special." Butterflies raged around inside me when he lifted a hand to cup my cheek, his thumb caressing the spot right under my eye. "Special to me, at least. And I'll remind you of that everyday."

Screw not touching him. I couldn't resist this impulsion anymore.

So what did I do next? I kissed him.

Yeah, you read that right. I _kissed _Percy Jackson.

I didn't exactly know what overcame me, but I just did. I practically threw myself at him, grabbing the front of his shirt to pull him to me before smashing my lips on his.

For a moment, he was utterly still, and his eyes were wide open. I could tell because mine were too.

But then he started to relax. His hand came around my waist, and his other, still cupping my face, slid itself into my hair. His fingers entangled themselves in my blonde curls as he pulled me closer to him. He was warm, his body now flush against mine. I slid my hands over his shoulders, letting my fingers find his hair.

For so long I had daydreamed over running my hands through his hair, and it was just as amazing as I imagined. His silky strands that went everywhere in that untamed manner felt like water under my hands.

His lips . . . oh, gods. Don't get me started.

They were perfect. Soft and hesitant, yet it seemed as though they were fiery spikes sending flames through my body and ending in tingles, and he kissed with an urgency that made me breathless. They fit with mine almost too perfectly, our lips moving in sync like a melody and its harmony.

My eyes had long fluttered shut, and now I was just soaking in Percy, being this close to him. I'd kissed boys for a movie before, but those always meant nothing. I had no feelings for the boys I pecked quickly. But this kiss . . . this kiss was affecting me so much. I felt like I had gotten run over by a car and ended up in heaven.

Poor Porkpie, watching all of this. Scarred for life.

But did I care? Hell no.

"Annabeth," he said softly against my mouth, my name sounding like a song when it came from his mouth.

But as soon as the make out session had started, it seemed to end just as quickly.

A second later, Percy abruptly jerked back, staggering a few steps away from me. We both were panting hard, staring at each other in shock.

Did that really just happen?

"Percy-"

"No," he breathed out. "I can't-"

His voice cut off, and he looked away from me. He ran a hand through his black locks. His hair was already messy from my hands, and he just made it worse. I just stood motionlessly against the stable wall, trying to get enough oxygen into my body so my brain could start working again.

"Annabeth, I-," he started once more. He looked at me, and his eyes looked frustrated. "I can't. Not-not right after Rachel and I . . . I can't. Not so soon."

The air in me-or whatever little air I had-flew out of me like I had just gotten punched in the stomach.

Oh gods. What did I just do?

"I understand," I managed to croak out.

He didn't meet my eyes again, just looked at the ground, his lips slightly parted. He looked so anguished that I wanted to give him a hug, but I'd messed things up enough already.

Rachel had told me that he might not be ready. What was I doing? And seriously, people usually just started out by talking hesitantly about their feelings, not launching into a freaking full-blown make out session!

While I was continually cursing myself in my head, the air around us was tense and silent.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-," I said, right as Percy started talking, too.

"It's not you," he spoke up softly.

We stared a little more at each other before Percy kept talking. "It's not you, I just-I'm not ready for anything like this. Not right away. Not after I just finished a relationship."

"I understand, Percy," I insisted once more. "Really. I'm fine."

Acting was handy when I needed to spout lies like the last sentence I just said.

Percy bit his lip, looking uncomfortable. Memories of what just happened threatened to rush into my brain and overtake my sanity, but I held them back for the time being. It was silent, awkward tension rising between us, and I hated it's appearance.

"I'm gonna go finish some chores," he muttered, scuffing at the ground with his boot.

I nodded, and he gave me one last look before he left the stall, heading down in brisk steps to the exit. I watched him go helplessly, wanting to say something but not wanting to mess up even more. As he reached the door, he glanced over his shoulder at me. It was weird how much one second of eye contact could affect me like it just did.

Then Percy stepped outside and I lost him from sight.

For about five seconds, it was totally silent.

Then I groaned loudly. Probably loud enough for Percy to hear.

"Gods, I'm so _stupid_!" I whispered furiously.

Porkpie was watching calmly, his eyes never straying from me.

"You got a show, huh?" I snapped at him. He whinnied, and call me crazy, but it sounded like he was laughing.

"It's not funny," I said, fighting back tears. "Gods, what did I just do?"

Well, I can tell you what I just did. I just kissed Percy freaking Jackson and now probably messed up our whole friendship and made everything awkward between us. He probably didn't even like me, and now I just seemed really straightforward and it looked like I was taking him right when he dumped his girlfriend.

I most likely don't have to remind you again, but I'm so, incredibly stupid.

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait guys. Thing is, "Little Lady" and this book have kept me busy, plus all the things going on right now. I thought summers were supposed to be relaxed, lazy times. Not for my family, I guess. :)**

**THANK YOU so much to all the people from here who have been reading my story on Wattpad. For those of you who haven't, _please _do so. I really appreciate it, and it makes me come back to write for CGCB more often. My username on wattpad is "Sophia-Dee" and the story is "Little Lady." It's an action/romance book, and it focuses on nuclear weapons. So yeah, more intense than my other wattpad book. XD**

**Q&amp;A and chitchat.**

_RiptideFTW: _**I loved your long review! It was great, and thanks so much! And yes, good ol' Seaweed Brain is oblivious to the extreme. That's what makes him so adorable, though. :)**

_PunksNotDeadYouAre: _**To be totally honest, I get all my inspiration from you readers. Without you guys, I would've given up on my story long ago. You're encouraging reviews and excitement for the story gets me hyped up. So thank you sooooo much for being one of the reviewers, and giving me more inspiration to write CGCB! :)**

_Nameywamey: _**YEEES. I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR READING MY WATTPAD STORY. SORRY FOR THE CAPS, BUT I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT PEOPLE READ "LITTLE LADY." Okay, sorry. Virtual cookies for you, my friend. (::) (::) (::)**

_Guest: _**This is for the guest that caught the "I'm not an oracle or anything" part. Ha, thanks for liking it. :)**

**Love you all! Please review, the next chapter depends on them. Reviews are like little fast-forward buttons that speed up my writing. XD**


	18. Chapter 18

_ten·sion\__ˈ__ten(t)-shən\_  
_noun_  
_: a feeling of nervousness that makes you unable to relax_

There you go, guys. Right up there is the word "Tension" defined by our good friend Mr. Merriam-Webster, though he goes by The Dictionary a lot.

The point is, I found it humorlessly funny (if that makes sense) that one word was able to describe my whole life right at that moment.

Tension was what I felt when I tiptoed cautiously into the house the afternoon after _that_—I know you know what I mean—happened, hoping to avoid one person, but feeling oddly disappointed when my wishes were granted.

Tension was what I felt when I collapsed onto my bed, barely able to form a thought because it seemed as if what had just happened was taking my sanity bit by bit.

Tension was what I felt when I thought about that thing that just happened, the thing that made butterflies roar in my stomach. The thing that starts with a "K", if I wasn't clear enough.

Tension was what I felt when I laid in bed that night, my tummy grumbling because I refused to leave my room for food in fear that I might stumble upon the person who started this tension in the first place.

And tension was what I felt when I woke up the next morning after a rocky night of sleep, my mind peaceful until the "K" word flitted through my brain. It acted like a trigger, detonating a bomb in my head that sent my thoughts reeling and the room spinning.

It took a lot of willpower to overcome said tension and throw the covers off of me, getting up to face the world. Or more like Percy, who seemed to make me more nervous than the world right now.

I checked my phone real quick, my veins seeming to turn to ice as I saw nothing. No word yet about what the consequences were after all that happened in town. I prayed my mom or Piper would text soon to relieve just a bit of my nerves, but I was scared to see what the text would say.

I was also so confused. I wanted to stay here in Colorado so badly and be with Percy and his friends and family, but I didn't know if I just made everything here awkward. So did I want to stay and try to brave my way through this tense layer, or should I just accept the fact that I probably don't belong here and I messed everything up and I should just go back to California?

I didn't know where my thoughts were. They were too jumble and panicked.

Throwing on a pair of jeans but leaving my t-shirt, I stepped out into the hallway. My feet descended the stairs with trepidation, then entered the kitchen with even more worry.

Poseidon stood in the corner, talking to Sally. I didn't know when she had come, but I was glad to see her. Maybe I could go somewhere with her and avoid seeing Percy.

Speaking of which, Percy sat cross-legged on the ground, playing with Mrs. O'Leary. A lopsided grin adorned his face as he tugged on the small rope, the other end of the toy held in the puppy's mouth.

He looked so painstakingly adorable in his pajamas and his hair sticking every which way, that smile doing weird things to my stomach.

But that smile dropped as he caught sight of me entering the kitchen.

Once again, the dread and tension returned, placing a burden on my shoulders.

He gave me a tight nod, and I returned it, my heart clenching. Normally we'd smile or offer a joke. I'd gotten used to coming down everyday to a cheery "Good morning, Wise Girl!"

Guess I was the cause of this blanket of awkwardness covering us both.

"Hello, Annabeth!" Sally chirped as I neared her. She reached out and gave me a quick hug. "I heard what happened. I hoped everything is okay."

For one, heart-stopping moment, I thought she was talking about the kiss. My muscles relaxed, however, when I realized that wasn't the case. "Thank you. I hope so too. It's surprising it's taking this long, though."

"That's what I was thinking," Poseidon chimed in. "I thought there'd either be magazines with your face plastered over the front or your mom would have contacted you by now."

"Well, let's just not think of it," Sally said. "Let's eat some pancakes, hm?" She smiled brightly, ushering me to a seat at the counter. "Percy, come on, we're eating."

I didn't look back as Percy silently got up, ignoring the puppy nipping at his heels and walked over to the counter. He slid into the only vacant seat—the one next to mine, so close that our knees were almost touching.

I was used to the butterflies that would go crazy every time Percy touched me, but this time I also got an unbearable amount of crushing guilt for what I'd possibly messed up, a shaky feeling as I thought of what had happened the last time we were this close, and—of course—the word of the day: tension.

Almost imperceptibly we both leaned opposite ways, avoiding each other's eyes.

Gods, this was so horrible. I just wanted to run up to my room and cry like a baby. I hated being uncomfortable with Percy. I just wanted to be best friends who would joke around and tease each other constantly.

"So, Percy, anything on the agenda for today?" Poseidon asked his son, cutting the blue pancake on his plate.

Percy shrugged. "Not really," he mumbled.

"What'd you guys do yesterday? Any chores or lessons?"

Percy and I froze. I knew each of our minds were racing back to what had happened yesterday, but I didn't know what Percy was thinking about. My knee was bouncing, and I tried to stop it with a shaking hand.

"Nothing interesting," Percy concluded firmly.

Then I did look over at him, incredulity widening my eyes. Was he serious? Was that unexpected kiss really "nothing interesting" to him?

I realized I was staring weirdly, and the two adults were watching me with raised eyebrows. Swallowing harshly, I turned back to my food, releasing some of the pent up emotions in me by stabbing at my pancake.

Percy hadn't looked at me, but he proceeded to stuff his face with pancakes.

"Well," Poseidon said slowly. "Are you guys planning on having a lesson today?"

"No."

Both Percy and I had said that quickly at the same time, my heart pounding. Just thinking of spending a lot of time alone with Percy outside . . . no, that probably wouldn't end well.

Sally and Poseidon exchanged confused glances, then gazed at us.

"Everything okay?" Sally ventured warily.

"Yeah, fine," replied Percy gruffly. I nodded in halfhearted agreement, not meeting their eyes.

Percy shifted in his seat, making our elbows touch. We both jumped back at the small contact that sent lightning bolts through my body. It was like every tiny touch from Percy sent my head into overdrive—all thanks to that stupid, amazing kiss.

I took a deep breath, avoiding his eyes again as I reached for a mug to pour coffee into. My palm wrapped around the warm cup, accepting the slight burn that came with it. I didn't care, for it took my mind off of other things. Like a certain thing sitting right next to me.

"Um, I gotta go," Percy stuttered, getting up from his chair. "I've some chores." His mumbled words were barely decipherable before he practically bolted away to his room to change.

I couldn't help the little twinge that pulled at my heart. Was he really that anxious to get away from me? All these questions invading my brain were not making things better for me.

"Annabeth?" Sally's voice entered my ears, and I quickly wiped away the hurt look on my face, replacing it with a questioning one.

"Yes?"

Sally opened her mouth to say something, but a sharp ringing interrupted her. Three pairs of eyes shot to the phone sitting on the counter. The persistent sound urged my hand to reach over and answer my phone.

"Hello?" I asked timidly.

I heard a deep sigh before words were spoken. The voice was recognizable immediately.

"You better be thankful for your older brother, young lady."

A deep thumping noise was cutting across my focus, so I turned away from Poseidon and Sally and whatever that noise was.

Then I realized that the sound was my heartbeat. "What do you mean, mom?"

Another exhale. "By the time Piper got back here, we were in quite a mess. Every magazine across the world was ready to publish that one picture of you the paparazzi got, and therefore revealing your identity and location. We got a few to be convinced that it wasn't you, only a now-traumatized look-alike. Unfortunately, by a few, I do only mean about three—and you know how many magazines there are. With one click from them all, you'd have to come back to California to just wait for tryouts, the little town of West Burge would be ruined, you'd never get to see your new friends again, and the rumors would be plentiful. It wouldn't be pretty, Annabeth."

My mom's voice was stern but exhausted. I felt bad for her. I mean, she had to clean up all this mess for me.

"But," she continued, "your brother intervened. And let me say this again: you better be thankful for him."

"Why? What happened?"

After a pause, she said resignedly, "He paid off every single magazine publisher to throw away the stories and convince everybody it was a mistake."

My mouth dropped open. Out of my peripheral vision I spotted Sally and Poseidon looking at me with eagerly curious faces, but I just stood there in shock.

"He _what_?" I demanded. "That must've cost him . . . Oh, my gods."

"Yes. I tried to discourage him from it, saying we could try to find another way, but he was adamant about it. Might I say again, you are very lucky to have a brother like him."

I bit my bottom lip, a slight smile growing on my face. She was right. I was extremely lucky to have Malcolm.

"So you are free to stay until tryouts, which are schedule late August," my mother continued in a tight voice. "I expect no more trouble, Annabeth. I was lenient enough to keep you there like you requested, and even now, but don't make me regret it."

"I won't," I promised, fiddling with my curly hair. "I swear to the gods, I'll be careful. And mom?"

She hummed in response.

"Thank you. For helping me with this."

My mother was silent at my sincere words. It's not everyday that I tell her something with heartfelt gratitude.

"It's fine, Annabeth," she finally replied. Her voice had softened. "Now I have to go, a meeting awaits."

"M'kay. Bye."

"Goodbye."

The line went dead, but I stood still for a moment more, my brain practically falling apart with relief. It was all clear. I didn't have to go back.

But then that familiar tension returned as I thought of what happened yesterday.

The tension only intensified as Percy tromped down the stairs, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. How he managed to look like a model in such plain clothes beat me.

"Well?" Sally prompted. I broke my stare directed towards the black-haired boy, looking at the two expectant parents.

A grin spread across my face. "It's all clear. The magazines are ditching the one picture they got, and I can stay." They both let out cheers, surging forward to wrap me up in hugs. I laughed, hugging them back.

"Percy, she can stay!" Sally said upon noticing her son. She waited for him to whoop like they were doing and rush forward to give me a hug as well.

But Percy just smiled politely, though I could see the tightness in the crooked lines of his curved lips.

"That's great," he replied, dipping his head toward me.

Ouch.

For the second time I tried to hide my hurt face. He sounded so unenthusiastic. Did he really not want me to stay? Did he want me to go back to California and never come back? Did I really just mess everything up that badly with that one kiss? _Gods, stop with the questions!_

Sally frowned, exchanged a glance with an equally baffled Poseidon, then looked towards me and my schooled features.

"Well, uh," she said calmly. "Annabeth, could I use your help outside real quick? I need your advice on one of my gardens."

I nodded jerkily, not trusting my voice as I followed her to the door.

The sun was already hot, despite the earliness of the morning, and I slung my hair up into a ponytail to get it off of my neck. Mrs. O'Leary had followed us outside, and now she was running around, chasing bugs with a cheerful bark.

We trudged over to the gardens in silence, until Sally said, "Anything you want to talk about, sweetie?"

I swallowed, clenching and unclenching my fist as I answered in as steady as a voice possible, "No, I'm good."

She looked at me, unconvinced. "Are you sure?" I bobbed my head, keeping my eyes fixed on the dirt ground beneath my feet. Seeing I wasn't going to talk, Sally just switched her own gaze to the garden shed we were approaching, leaving me to walk in peace.

Well, as much peace as my mind could be in during the war raging on in my head.

* * *

"Annabeth, I think you should get a lesson today."

My head shot up at Poseidon's words, giving him a skeptical look. In the corner of my eye, I saw Percy do the same.

We were sitting at the lunch table and Sally was collecting some dirty dishes from the recent meal.

"Uh, what?" I asked, even though I heard him fine.

"You should get a lesson today," he repeated, inspecting his fingernails casually. "I know you said you weren't today, but we better put the time we have with you to good use and get you comfortable on a horse."

"I think she's doing well enough, dad," Percy stepped in, obviously trying to find a way out of this. I didn't blame him. Sitting next to him during lunch had been awkward and tense enough—but a whole couple hours out alone with him? No way.

Poseidon spared a quick glance up. "Is she? Can she canter confidently? Or gallop?"

I chewed my lip, twiddling my thumbs in my lap at his words. Actually, I couldn't do either of those. I had tried a few times, but ever since I had fallen off of Porkpie, my cautiousness had skyrocketed. Now I was sort of scared to try and speed up.

"Well . . ." Percy trailed off, still searching for an excuse, when Sally piped up.

"I think that's a good idea!" she chirped, a bright smile on her motherly face as she braced herself with a hand on her hip. "Go on out, Poseidon and I will finish the cleaning."

"I didn't say when," Poseidon grumbled, grudgingly grabbing his plate. "They could help clean." Sally rolled her eyes, giving Poseidon a little swat. He sent her a rueful smile as Percy and I glanced at each other. His bright green eyes bore into mine, my heart clenching until I felt it was rolling into a tight ball and bouncing around my ribcage.

I managed to squeak hurriedly, "We—we don't have to have a lesson. If you want."

Percy's jaw hardened as he looked away from me. "It's fine," he said. There was a harsh tone to his words, and I flinched. Gods, this boy was just out to make me feel worse about everything, wasn't he?

But Percy saw my reaction and his face softened. "Come on," he said in a kinder voice. "Let's go saddle up Porkpie." He got up from the table, and I stumbled to follow him. I waved to Sally and Poseidon before throwing my feet into my shoes and exiting the house into the beating hot sun.

We walked quietly up to the stables, me trying to resist the urge to look at Percy. Once inside, the horses nickered a greeting. Percy went to go get my tack while I headed over to Porkpie's stall. The blond horse tossed his head when I opened the gate, and I grabbed the halter off the hook on the wall to latch it around his head. A smile graced my lips as I pet his head affectionately before leading him out the door.

Percy was already waiting for me. He threw the saddle on, then reached down to grab the girth strap. I stood beside Percy, watching the muscles in his arm shift as he pulled it taut around the horse's belly, then secured it and handed me the reins slung around his shoulder. I slipped the bit into Porkpie's mouth gently. Right as I finished, I felt a pressure on my head.

I whipped around to see Percy's hand retracting from my head. He had placed the cowboy hat he had given me all that time ago onto my blonde curls. I nodded my thanks, and he dipped his head in response.

Turning away, I grabbed the lead rope and walked out of the barn towards the oval arena, Percy trailing behind me.

"What are we going to work on today?" I asked, opening the gate and leading the horse inside.

"Getting you more comfortable at a normal trot."

I put my foot into the stirrup, then grabbed the pommel as I hauled myself onto the back of Porkpie, suddenly feeling a lot taller.

Percy ran a hand through his black locks, making them stick up before he told me to walk a lap around the outskirts of the arena.

Bringing Porkpie into a tight circle, we set off at an even pace. I had been working on riding with one hand, so I gripped the reins in my right hand, my left resting at my side. Horses in the paddock a little ways away lifted their heads to look at us like periscopes before returning to chomp lazily on the grass. The sun seemed to heat up my shirt and jeans and I could feel sweat beading on my forehead. I swiped it away, then patted Porkpie as we made it around the arena.

Percy was leaning against the fence in a relaxed position, one of his knees bent so his boot-covered foot could rest against the wooden fence behind him. His green eyes never strayed from mine as I approached, increasing the sweat on my forehead.

"Okay, now you're going to post while trot," he explained as I got closer. Soon Porkpie was stopped and Percy walked over to stand by me, his head craned to look at me. "Basically, as Porkpie trots, he'll bounce up and down. With each up, you use that momentum to push yourself up, so you're going up and down at a smooth pace. Don't push yourself up with your feet, though." He reached his hand up, placing it on my thigh. "Use your inner thigh to get yourself off the saddle."

I barely heard that last sentence. He was either trying to get me to lose focus, or he was totally oblivious to the fact that his hand on my thigh was like a signal to all the butterflies in my stomach to start going crazy. Actually, screw the butterflies—the whole zoo was rampaging about in my body.

However, Percy seemed to see what he was doing, and he brought his hand back quickly, like I was poisonous snake he just realized he was touching.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"What?" I answered challengingly. I don't know why him apologizing for just _touching _me irked me so much, but I was tired of avoiding what had happened yesterday, especially when it was the big neon elephant in the room.

"I—I just thought—" he broke off, looking away.

"Thought that . . .?" I said questioningly. "Thought that after yesterday we can't be comfortable with each other like friends?"

"Annabeth, I didn't mean it that way—"

"I understand," I said, talking about yesterday. "I do. And I'm sorry if I—stepped out of line. But you don't have to act like it was the worst thing on this earth."

"I'm not—"

"Yes!" I practically shouted. Porkpie, upon sensing my attitude, skirted nervously to the side, throwing his head. "You are. I mean, okay, you don't have to be all fine and dandy, but you could be at least be a little happy that I can stay! Unless, of course, you don't want me to."

"That's not true," he protested with a spark of anger. "I'm glad that everything is cleared up, but I'm not exactly unscarred from the past few days."

"I know. And I apologized for doing the wrong thing!"

He frowned slightly, thinking before saying, "It wasn't exactly _wrong_—"

I groaned in exasperation. "Gods, you are so frustrating!"

I knew I was taking everything out on him. All my anxiety and tension, my worry from the previous days, the terrifying thought that I may have messed up everything—all of it. And it wasn't fair, but I couldn't stop.

"I'm frustrating?" he repeated with an indignant tone, his voice growing louder. "Really? All I did was tell you the truth, and you can't accept that I'm being a moral guy and not moving on too fast?"

"I said I understood," I spat, "but you don't have to be so mean to me."

He threw his hands up in the air, his shoulders tight as he scoffed. "How am I being mean to you? Ever heard of the word 'distant' or thought that I just wanted some time?"

"So you don't want me here?" I asked venomously.

"You know, since you're obviously not happy here," he said darkly through gritted teeth. "Maybe you should just run back to your precious Luke and stupid movie try-outs. It sure as Hades would make my life a bit easier right now."

He stood there fuming, hands in fists at his side with anger blazing in his beautiful eyes. All the while, my heart which had rolled into a tight ball suddenly deflated and fell flat against the bottom of my ribcage.

"Really? That's what you want?" I managed to croak, my voice not cracking until the last word.

Suddenly Percy's eyes went wide, as if he just realized what he said, and a hint of guilt started pouring into his orbs. "Annabeth, I didn't—"

"No, it's totally fine," I said contemptuously, twisting the reins around in my trembling fingers. "After all, you wanted me to understand. Thanks for explaining."

With that, I wheeled Porkpie around, trotting back towards the gate. All I wanted was to just go back inside and collapse on my bed. Maybe a few tears would leak out, maybe I'd just sit there and contemplate my messed up life.

I heard Percy resignedly call out my name, but I didn't answer.

This morning I had wanted to know what he was thinking. Now I was wishing that I had never wanted that. I was wishing that everything that happened yesterday was just a bad dream, and I'd wake up to Percy banging on my door and calling me lazy, telling me to get my butt outside and help him. I'd be able to hear the playful, lopsided grin in his voice as he added that he was going to get breakfast first and eat everything, and I'd come out and shove him behind me to prove that statement wrong. We'd race like little kids over to the kitchen, laughing and giggling.

But the whole scenario fell apart as I realized this was all real.

I'd just have to try on the big girl pants and hope they fit.

* * *

**So sorry for the late update! I would've had it up sooner, because many of you did those fast-forward buttons (ha, that was awesome, thanks guys! :)) but I LOST MY IPOD. I do practically all my writing on my ipod, and I lost it for a week and a half. So I finally got my new ipod, and I'm so sorry you guys had to wait. Especially on the cliffhanger. Muahaha. ;)**

**Thanks for the multiple reviews—they always make me so happy!**


	19. Chapter 19 (redo)

**_SUPER IMPORTANT!: _This chapter is a redo of chapter 19. If you didn't ever read the old chapter 19, then ignore this message and keep reading. If you, however, read the old chapter (which I just deleted), I _only redid the ending_. I decided to change as little as possible. You could start reading from when Percy and Annabeth start arguing in the car right after the hardware store and you wouldn't miss anything. Sorry for any confusion.**

* * *

_It looks like another day of insufferable tension for me_, I thought as I tried to find the strength to get out of bed.

I decided to lay in bed for a few more minutes. However, that's a dangerous thing to say when you're half asleep, because a few minutes turns into a few hours.

That happened to me.

I thought I heard a few knocks and my name being called, but my sleepy mind just thought of it as a dream.

However, a minute later, a hand shook my shoulder gently.

"Annabeth?"

I mumbled something incoherent, rolling over and hoping to chase down that sleep that suddenly had flown away.

"Annabeth, you slept in," the familiar voice said. At least, I think it said that. Being half-asleep does weird things to your brain.

I took a deep breath, struggling to remain conscious.

Gentle fingers suddenly drifted across my cheek, pulling a strand of hair away from my face and tucking it soothingly behind my hair. But it returned to my cheek, as if it couldn't leave. The soft caressing just made me want to go back to bed. Then it stopped.

Wait, I slept in?

With a start, I shot up to a sitting position, looking around wildly.

Nobody was in my room. I could've sworn someone waking me up was real.

I quickly got out of bed, checking the clock. Bright, glowing green numbers read: "_11:48_".

Cursing under my breath, I headed for my closet, changing in record time before skidding out of my doorway and raging down the hallway.

I did _not_ just sleep in! I basically missed half the day! There were chores to be done, horses to be groomed and ridden, and I had been sleeping.

My frantic footsteps shot down the stairs. I was almost at the bottom when someone turned a corner right into my path.

I collided with the person, a yelp emitting from my mouth. We were both sent tumbling to the ground.

The person landed on his back, and I landed right on top of him, making him grunt at the weight.

"Oh, my gods. I'm so sorry," I hastily said.

Percy groaned under me. His arm had come around my waist, attempting to cushion my fall, and it didn't move.

"'S okay," he said, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. Why was he breathing so heavily? Had he just been doing chores? Running maybe?

Then I realized I was breathing just as heavily. And I knew why.

It was probably because I was laying over him, our bodies touching, our legs tangled between each other. His arm stayed stoically snaked around my side, the warmth from it like a fire.

But it wasn't as hot as my cheeks felt.

"Um—" I started, but a booming voice interrupted me.

"Percy, we were—Oh." The voice stopped as four people rounded the corner.

Jason, Leo, Hazel, and Frank all stopped in unison, their eyes flashing with different emotions as they took in our compromising position.

Jason merely rolled his eyes, though I thought I saw a hint of a smile dancing around his lips. Frank was the same. Leo's maniac smirk was filled with amusement.

But Hazel's eyes just widened. "Oh, my."

Percy and I scrambled to get up, each of us muttering defensive statements.

"What are you guys doing here?" Percy managed to say clearly, straightening his already straight shirt.

"We told Annabeth we were coming over today when we had that whole deal with the paparazzi," Jason replied.

My hand smacked my forehead slightly. "Gods, I totally forgot. Sorry. These past few days have been—uh, busy."

I felt Percy's sharp glance, but they disappeared from my sight just a second later as he looked away.

"Oh, okay. Well, we're here." Leo sent us a smile after the statement. "We were wondering if we could go on a ride. You two don't have to come, you could finish whatever business you'd been up to."

My cheeks, if possible, got even hotter. I had a feeling Percy's were the same, but I didn't dare look at him.

"That wasn't anything. She just accidentally—" Percy said.

I finished for him. "Ran into him as I was going down the stairs."

Leo's grin grew wider. "It's cute how you finish each other's sentences like that."

Gods, how red could cheeks get?

"Anyway," Frank rumbled, saving us. "We'll go get the horses ready. But your dad wanted to talk to you Percy."

Percy nodded briskly, then practically jogged to the front door, heading out with an eagerness as if he were going to get some of Sally's blue pancakes.

"Let's go," Leo stated, turning to follow Percy's footsteps. Hazel sent me a smile wave, which I returned, then linked hands with Frank and walked to the exit. My heart twisted at the goo-goo eyes they sent towards each other, obviously head-over-heels for one another. I tore my gaze away, meeting Jason's sky blue eyes.

He was shuffling his feet, hesitating. "You coming out?"

I dipped my head. "Yeah, just let me grab a granola bar or something."

His head bobbed, but he still didn't leave.

Finally he took a deep breath, saying, "Annabeth, you remember a couple months ago, what I told you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You might have to be a tad more specific."

"About Percy. You and Percy. I kind of warned you away."

My mind seized the memory and wrapped around it, letting the conversation we had had seep into remembrance. "Oh, yeah. I remember."

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that," he paused, mouth opening and closing as he searched for words. "That all I said wasn't true. I didn't know about Rachel and—and what she did."

"Jason, it's fine—"

"Just let me finish." He took another breath. "I was wrong. You guys could have a chance, and I'd be totally in favor of it."

"Jason—"

"You make Percy really happy. There were times he would sink into a quiet, depressed-like state, and then I didn't know why. Now I do. But ever since you came, he's never been like that. He seems the happiest I've ever seen him whenever your around."

"Jason—"

"And so if you two—"

"Jason!" I practically shouted, just to get him quiet. "Listen to me!"

He jerked to attention, as if he was realizing I wanted to talk.

"I—I may have ruined that all," I said, my voice dimming with each syllable.

He frowned, his blue eyes swimming with confusion. "What are you talking about."

"Well, I, uh. Um, I sorta . . . Kissed him?"

For a second he just stared at me, no emotion flashing over his face.

Then his eyes widened, and he managed to stutter out, "You—you what?"

The words started to spill out of my mouth. I didn't know why I chose Jason as the person I could confide in, but I guess he just seemed trustworthy, like a guy who could keep secret. He had that air about him—that strict Roman-like discipline.

The blond boy just listened, his jaw slowly falling farther until I thought he wouldn't be able to close it because it would be too stretched.

When I finally finished, his mouth closed with an audible "Pop".

We both stood in silence for a little until I pushed with, "Well? Say something!"

"Um . . ." he trailed off. After running a nervous hand through his hair, he said to me, "Well, I'm not that great on advice about . . . you know, the opposite genders and all. You could call Piper. Or I could."

I rolled my eyes at the dreamy look he got on his face at the mention of my best friend. "Oh, snap out of it. You two are so lovesick it's nasty."

He glared at me. "Like you aren't?"

I returned the glower, then said, "Just answer me please."

"I don't know," he concluded. "I think Percy was right in not pressing a relationship right after Rachel. He's moral like that. But I don't know why he's acting like this. I would think he'd act like nothing had happened, go back to being friends. But now that he's avoiding you and being somewhat harsh . . . I don't know what he's thinking. I could try and get something out of him."

"If you could, that'd be great, Jason," I said with gratitude. "Although I'm not sure I want to know what he's thinking." Despair crept up on me again, and I resisted the urge to stomp my foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum. "Gods, what if I messed everything up? What if Percy hates me now?"

"I don't think he hates you, Annabeth," Jason said soothingly. "I think he's just confused right now—his emotions in a mess. Just give him some time, things will go back to normal."

"Well, we can't prove that," I mumbled, playing with the tips of my hair. "But thanks."

Jason dipped his head, opening his mouth to say something. But he was cut off by Leo's voice.

"Yo, blondies! Mr. Jackson wants Annabeth," the curly haired boy said, flashing us a madman's grin.

"Okay, we're coming," Jason said, turning to go out the door with me following. Leo headed to the stables as Jason led me to wherever Poseidon was. I bit my lip, going over our conversation. Even if Percy's emotions were messed up because of what had happened, that still didn't make his words from yesterday any easier.

_"Maybe you should just run back to your precious Luke and stupid movie try-outs. It sure as Hades would make my life a bit easier right now."_

Just thinking about the words again made my heart clench painfully. Those words hurt. Did he mean them?

And shouldn't he be able to tell that I didn't care as much about my "precious Luke"? Gods, I basically wore my heart on my sleeve, showing him my feelings when I kissed him! I obviously liked Percy. My feelings for Luke were switching with each day, more and more, all going towards Percy.

"Good morning, Annabeth." Poseidon's voice jerked me out of my raging thoughts, my gaze snapping up to see Percy's dad standing by the garden, a shovel in his hand. Percy stood next to him, his hands in his pockets. I remembered the feeling of those hands running through my curls, his warm breath mingling with my own—

_Stop. _I swallowed, avoiding Percy's eyes.

"Or, good afternoon," Poseidon added with a small smile. "How was your sleep?"

I managed a tight smile. "Great, thanks."

He nodded. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

My eyebrow rose, and I beckoned for him to continue. Percy shifted on his feet, looking like he was waiting for someone.

"Well, Percy needs to go to town to get something from the hardware store for me. I was wondering if you could keep him company."

All three of the teenagers present dropped their jaws before reacting.

Jason's eyes bulged and he looked between me and Percy.

I made a sound in the back of my throat, shaking my head instantly and saying, "No—no, I can't—"

Meanwhile, Percy shot upright, eyes as wide as saucers, staring with horror at his dad. "What? Dad, no, I thought you said Jason was going with me!"

Poseidon just looked at me, then at Percy, his gaze narrowed as he analyzed us.

"Jason should stay here and go for a ride, he hasn't been with Tempest in a while," Poseidon said.

"Um, I can't go to town. I don't have a disguise," I added nervously.

The adult shrugged. "You don't have to get out of the car. Besides, the windows are tinted enough that people would have to look pretty closely to recognize you."

"Why can't I just go by myself?" Percy demanded.

"Company is always nice to have, Percy," Poseidon said sternly. "Don't be rude and refuse the presence of a nice lady."

"But—" I started, desperate to stop this.

"Nope, not buts," Poseidon said. He was countering all our excuses calmly and stoically. We wouldn't be able to change his mind. Percy and I exchanged a quick glance, helpless expressions mirroring in each other's eyes. "Go get the things from town. And here—" he fished in his pocket for his wallet, pulling it out and handing Percy some money. "Go get lunch while you're at it. Just pick up some food and eat it somewhere at a secluded park where nobody can see Annabeth."

"Dad, we're not going—" Percy started, but he was cut off swiftly by his dad.

"Son, I don't want to hear it," Poseidon said, his voice as hard as a rock. "You can't possibly think I'm oblivious to the tension between you two. I don't know why it's there, but I don't like it. So you two go to town, and work out whatever it is and that is final. No buts, no excuses. Now go. And I don't want you guys coming back and still avoiding each other like the plague, got it?"

Percy and I stared at Poseidon, worry and awkwardness laced in our eyes.

Then Percy dropped his gaze, muttering a curt, "Fine."

I just gulped, not answering. Poseidon dipped his head, satisfied, then turned back to the garden, continuing to dig up places for new plants. Percy turned on his heel and stalked off to the truck, pocketing the money in his hand.

Jason stared a little longer, then shrugged, turning to me with a small smile. "Hey, maybe this will fix everything."

"Oh, gods, this is will be absolutely horrible," I breathed out.

He gave me a little shove towards the vehicle that Percy was waiting at. "Go. Do what Poseidon said."

"I'll see you in Elysium," I groaned, my sigh foreboding.

"Nah, you're headed for the Underworld. Especially if you mess this up."

I glanced over my shoulder once to send Jason a scowl, sticking my tongue out at him. He just grinned, sending me a little flutter of his fingers in goodbye.

"Make sure you call Piper," I retorted, a small smirk appearing. "You two don't want to miss each other too much."

I could practically feel his grin vanish as a blush replace it. But I didn't turn around, just kept walking, my boots making dull thuds on the concrete.

My smirk, however, disappeared as I approached the truck. When I neared it, Percy—being the gentleman that he his, even with this awkwardness between us—grabbed the handle to the passenger door and opened it for me.

I offered him a tight smile, mumbling my thanks. He merely nodded, shutting it behind me and trudging to the driver's side. His black hair glinted in the sun, and I had to physically clench my fists to stop the wave of reminiscing about running my hands through the silky strands.

The door slammed shut on the driver's side. The engine spluttered to life, and we rumbled out of the driveway with neither of us talking.

I could already feel the suffocating tension testing my sanity,

"It's a nice day outside," I started, my voice cracking. I realized a moment later how pathetic that was, and my cheeks heated up slightly.

Percy nodded politely. "Yeah."

A faint memory of this morning drifted through my mind. "Did you wake me up this morning?" I asked, remembering the soft hand on my cheek.

Percy's hand tightened. "No."

My eyebrow rose, but I didn't say a word. It was quiet once more.

I puffed my cheeks out, letting the air flow through a crack in my lips as I gazed out the window. I wished so hard that we were back with Leo, Jason, Frank and Hazel, getting ready to go on a ride. I hated this silence between me and Percy, and my hatred only grew, added with despair, when I remembered that I was the cause of this.

The drive to town was ridden in quietude. I wanted to say something, to try and fix this, but every time I opened my mouth to speak my eyes went to Percy and my resolve fell apart. Why was this so hard?

Soon enough we were in the petite town of West Burge. Percy took a left at the first stoplight, sliding smoothly into an empty parking space before switching the engine off.

"Wait here," he said, opening the door and heading out.

"Okay, then," I muttered as the door shut, leaving me alone. "I'll wait. Thanks."

It took longer than I expected. Soon I was beyond bored, tapping beats out on the car window, spying on people behind the tinted windows, and humming complete nonsense to myself. I almost shouted in joy when the hardware store door swung open, spitting out Percy. He was talking to one of the workers—a girl. She was obviously trying to flirt with him, what with the way she sent out a high-pitched giggle that I could hear inside the car. She attempted to casually put a hand on Percy's arm, and a grimace shot onto my face, urged on by the jealousy boiling in my veins.

Percy finally was able to leave the girl's annoying fake laughs and fluttering eyelashes, heading back to the truck.

As soon as he was seated and had latched his seat belt, throwing the plastic bag of purchases unto the floor by his feet, I said, "Who was that?"

I inwardly winced at the demanding tone in my words.

He sent me a glance, his green eyes narrowed by his frown. "That was Drew."

I pursed my lips, watching the town as Percy backed out. "Well, she seemed pretty friendly."

"Why do you care?"

My mouth dropped slightly at his statement, but I covered it up with a fumbled, "No reason. Gods, I wasn't being mean or anything."

"Your voice sounded like it," he snapped back.

"Well," I spat venomously, anger suddenly alighting upon me, "I didn't mean it to be that way, okay?"

"Fine."

"Fine."

Silence once more descended on us, and the frustrated huff I let out of my mouth sounded like a gust of wind.

This was going just swell.

As I watched our surroundings, I realized we were on our way home. "Aren't we going to eat something?"

"Why?" he responded shortly, not meeting my eyes.

I threw my hands up in the air. "Maybe because your dad told us to, and I'm kinda hungry since I haven't eaten anything, and it's the middle of the day."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have slept in so late."

A small growl tore it's way out of my throat. "Fine! Do what you want, let's just go back to the house so you can start ignoring and hating me again."

His eyes flashed over to mine, but I tore my gaze away at the same time.

"What are you talking about?" he said, his voice hard.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Perseus," I said, using his full name. I'd learned that a few weeks back, and I also knew he hated it. "It's why your dad sent us, to get rid of this—this tension! But you're not helping at all by being a jerk!"

"I'm being a jerk?" He sounded indignant.

"Why are you so stupidly oblivious?" I practically yelled, my fingers tightening on the handle of the door until they turned white as snow. "Of course you are being a jerk! What, do you not remember telling me that you wanted me to go back to Hollywood, because that would make things easier for you?"

I crossed my arms, staring at the small red octagon we were approaching. It was for the gravel road that was perpendicular to us, and a large, jacked-up track was rolling up to it, probably preparing to stop to let us go past.

"Annabeth—"

"If you really want that, just say so, Percy," I interrupted bitterly. "After all, I do have my precious Luke to go back to."

He snapped his head over to glare at me. "Don't even use that card."

I groaned with the rage in me that was growing steadily. "Oh, you're one to talk! That's exactly what you said!"

"I didn't—_Oh, my gods_!" His voice, before filled with utter frustration and anger, was now laced with panic and fear.

I barely even had time to register that statement before Percy had flung a hand out towards me, pushing me back as the steering wheel jerked to the side, almost as if he were trying to avoid something.

I saw the absolute horror in Percy's sea green eyes as he cried my name, the way his foot fell on the brake pedal like a heavy rock was suddenly attached to his toes.

But even though time seemed to have slowed immensely, he still wasn't fast enough.

The screech of brakes invading my ears, the taste of bile corroding my taste buds, the warm arm slung across my stomach—these were the last things I registered before a deafening crash was heard, along with the harsh tinkling of shattering glass.

My consciousness jerked away from the world, leaving a black nothingness.

* * *

**Guys, I literally started crying when I got all those reviews. You all were totally supportive of any choice I made, and you don't know how much that touched me. I was seriously beating myself up hard, thinking you all would hate me for messing it up.**

**Thank you. So. Much.**

**If there's any confusion, please ask in reviews, though I hope everything makes sense now.**

**Again thank you, and I love you all!**


	20. Chapter 20

You don't know how frustrating it is being half-awake.

My conscious would flick on and off like a dying candle, and each time I could hear people talking yet I couldn't respond. I wanted to say something, but every time I tried nothing came out.

Slowly I regained control over my other senses. The next to come after my hearing was feeling. There was a soft cloth over me, keeping me warm. A sharp, pungent smell washed over me and it took me a few seconds to recognize it-rubbing alcohol.

I swallowed tentatively, tasting stale spit and something else. Something bitter that left an aftertaste. Medicine was my guess. Why?

Wait. The car crash. I was arguing with Percy and we hit something. I blacked out.

My mom's gonna kill me.

With that thought raging about in my head, my eyes flew open, searching wildly around.

A bright, blinding light hit my irises, sending an ache of pain to my head. The little jab seemed to kickstart a repeating pulse of pain, otherwise known as a headache.

Blinking a few times to adjust my eyes, I paused, breathing deeply before looking around.

I was in a hospital room, laying on a clean white bed that was the same color as the walls and ceiling. It was quiet except for a small beeping by my head-one of the few machines surrounding me.

"Annabeth?"

My eyes shot over to the direction of the familiar voice. I tried to not move my head too much for fear of the pain increasing. But I couldn't help it as a grin broke my face at the person sitting in a chair beside me.

"Malcolm!" I croaked, my voice dry.

My brother's face stretched in a similar smile, his grey eyes sparkling with relief. "Gods, you're awake! How're you feeling?"

He got up and came over to me, grabbing my hand-the one without an IV sticking into it. His sandy blond hair was cut formally, a custom-tailored suit adorning his body. If it wasn't for the boyish grin on his face with his bright eyes, I would've thought he was a stern business man.

But he was my brother. The one who helped me with math homework when I was young; the one who teased me for the role as a tree I had on a play back in middle school; the one who gave me hugs whenever Mom would frustrate me, patting my back and telling me it was all going to be okay; and most recently, the one who saved me from being revealed around the world in Colorado.

"I'm okay," I replied.

He frowned, giving me and unconvinced look.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm _fine_, Mal. I missed you. What're you doing here?"

Malcolm gave me a _Are you serious? _look. "Annabeth, you were in a car crash. And trust me, it wasn't pretty. I came as soon as I got word."

A thought struck me, jarring my heart, and I started to babble in panic. "Oh, gods, Percy! Is he okay? Where is he? Did he-"

"Woah, woah," Malcolm said, holding up a hand. "Hold your horses, sis. He's fine. Geez, what with the way you two worry about each other I'd say you were married."

I attempted to stop the slight blush, saying, "He's okay? Really?"

Malcolm nodded. "Yeah, he's fine. A few scratches and a minor concussion, but you got the brunt of it. A car t-boned you-on your side. The car is totaled. You had a bad concussion, you sprained your wrist and lost an extreme amount of blood." He paused, biting his lip. "It was-It was really scary, Annabeth. When I got here and saw you, you were so pale and looked like-"

"Hey, I'm fine," I told him reassuringly, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Yeah, well, tell that to Percy."

"What do you mean?"

Malcolm sent his eyes to the sky. "We had to practically drag him out of here. He didn't want to leave your side. He didn't eat anything, he didn't sleep, he barely even talked other than the occasional 'Gods, I'm so stupid.'"

I frowned. "Really?"

"Really," he said. "We finally got him out just a little over an hour ago. Last I heard he was sulking in the cafeteria."

Before I could reply, the door opened and in walked Poseidon and Sally.

Upon seeing me awake, they both smiled warmly, rushing to my side.

"We thought we heard voices!" Sally exclaimed happily, leaning over to give me a gentle hug. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"I'm good," I said, taking a deep breath. My mind was still racing with questions and memories and most of all-Percy. "I'm sorry about the car, Mr. Jackson."

He immediately shook his head dismissively. "Forget about the car, Annabeth. I'm just glad you're okay. It's a miracle you weren't hurt as bad as you should have been from that hit."

"Where's Percy?" I asked suddenly, unable to hold it back longer.

Poseidon smiled kindly. "He's downstairs. I can go get him-he'll be elated you're awake."

I nodded, telling him thanks and watching as he turned and left.

"Mom wanted to come," Malcolm said sympathetically, "but she couldn't make it."

I bit my lip, biting back words I wanted to say and instead simply replying, "Okay."

Sally rubbed my arm, giving me another smile. "Hopefully Doctor Apollo will let you get out of here soon so we can take you back home. I'm sure Porkpie is missing you."

My eyebrows drew together. "Why? How long was I out?"

"Two and a half days, sweetheart."

"Two and a half days?" I asked, shocked.

"Yes, Miss Chase." A new voice entered my ears. "You've been catching up on your beauty sleep." I turned to see who was talking and was met with the sight of someone who looked like a Greek god.

He had perfect, windswept blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a physique that looked good even under scrubs. When he smiled, I thought I would go blind from the stark whiteness of his teeth.

"How are you feeling, Miss Chase?" he asked, coming over to stand by me. "I'm Doctor Apollo, by the way."

"I feel fine, just a headache," I answered. "Wait, you know who I am?" Fear started to grow in me as I finally realized I was in a public hospital and I was a world-wide known movie actress. Hey, give me a break. I just was in a coma-like state for two days, you can't expect me to register everything at once.

"Don't worry," he assured me, jotting something down on a clipboard he was holding. "Nobody but me and my nurse know your identity, and we'll keep it a secret."

"How did they not recognize me when I was brought in?"

He glanced up, elegant eyebrows arching like an upside down golden Nike sign on his forehead. "Well, to be painfully honest, you were rather bloody when you were brought in. It was hard to recognize you."

"So . . . what exactly happened?"

While Apollo went around and checked my wounds and the machines, taking out the IVs, Sally recited the incident. Apparently the car (I remember seeing it now-a big truck that was heading to the stop sign ahead) didn't see us. The person inside, who I figured out to be Octavian, the dirty scum, was apparently texting, not paying any attention. He rammed into us going forty miles per hour, shattering the side of our vehicle. He had hit a few mere feet from where I was sitting-any closer to me would've resulted in fatal injuries.

We hadn't flipped, just skidded to the side. There thankfully was a car behind us that witnessed the incident, calling for help right away.

Octavian was currently in another hospital room, suffering from a broken leg and ankle, along with a concussion from the airbag. He and I were knocked out on impact, but Percy was still conscious.

"When the police and ambulance cars got there, they found Percy holding you and crying your name, Annabeth," Sally said softly. "They told me he looked absolutely panicked, and he wouldn't let you go. They had to coax him to let go of you so you could get medical assistance."

I sat still, silent the entire time. My headache was pounding relentlessly and when I told him, Doctor Apollo gratefully gave me a few painkillers to swallow. It helped take my mind off of the pain, but there was still just one thing.

All I wanted to do right now was see Percy.

As if the gods were answering my plea, the door to my room opened, emitting Percy and Poseidon.

Percy's eyes immediately met mine, and right away I noticed something was off.

Instead of them being that fierce green that would glint like the sun shining off the ocean, they looked dull and tired, bags hanging under his orbs that made my heart clench. Still, he was a sight for sore eyes.

"We'll leave for a little bit," Sally said, nodding at my brother who dipped his head back. Malcolm gave me one last smile before following Sally out the door, Poseidon in tow.

"You've healed up pretty well over the few days you've been here," Apollo commented, giving me a grin. "I expect you'll be discharged within the next few days. Just call up the nurse if you need any more painkillers, and make sure you stay hydrated."

I told him I would. Then Apollo bid me farewell, walking to the door. He pat Percy's shoulder lightly as he walked by, then swung the wooden door open and exited, leaving me and Percy alone.

The green-eyed boy hadn't moved except for his eyes, which had dropped to the ground in front of him. His hands slid into his jean pockets and he shuffled his feet, taking a deep breath. I saw a cut running along his forehead, as long as his eyebrow. It wasn't bandaged; it had already mostly scabbed over. Still, it looked painful.

"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively, my fingers lacing and unlacing themselves.

He let a humorless breathy laugh. "Why are you asking _me _that?"

"Well, _you_ weren't saying anything."

He sighed, looking to the side at the blank wall. I studied his sculpted jawline, watching it shift as he clenched his teeth. He looked really tired-his hair was even more unruly than normal, his shoulders drooping like the fatigue was setting bricks on them, and his eyes were red and puffy as if he'd been rubbing at them a lot, trying to get the exhaustion away.

"Malcolm told me you didn't sleep or eat," I said. "Why not, Percy?"

He threw his hands up in the air, the quickest of the sluggish movements he'd shown so far. "Maybe because you were here, laying on this bed hurt and unconscious and it was all my fault!"

"It wasn't your fault!" I protested. "It was Octavian's, he wasn't looking. And besides, if you want to put blame somewhere else, put it on me. I was the one arguing and distracting you."

"You aren't to blame, Annabeth," he said, balling his fists. "It was my fault. I should've been paying more attention to my surroundings. It was my fault, and I hate myself for it."

His voice had lowered to an anguished whisper full of guilt. My stomach clenched. It hurt me worse than any headache seeing him like this.

We were fighting, and that was stupid. So what if I messed up and accidentally kissed him? That doesn't mean I have to act so badly about it. I knew he would need his space. Even Rachel said so. All of what I had said was true. This was my fault. I was the one who caused the fighting in the first place.

And now, seeing Percy beating himself up like that, it tore at my heart.

I raised a hand, beckoning him forward. He hesitated for second, then urged his feet to take steps over to the bed, sitting and facing me.

I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him.

For a second he didn't respond. But after that, I felt his arms slide around me, holding me even tighter. He was warm, his body hard with muscle yet it felt cozy in his embrace. Each time his front rose and fell with deep breaths it seemed to pull the anxiety out of my own body.

"It wasn't your fault, Percy," I said, my words muffled against his chest. "Don't you ever think that. I was the one who started it with that stupid kiss. I don't know why I acted like that and then acted like a jerk afterwards."

He made a shushing sound, rubbing my back soothingly. "You didn't act like a jerk. And the kiss wasn't stupid just . . . Unplanned. And like I said, I just wasn't ready. Besides, I was the one acting like a jerk. What I said about me wanting you to leave?"

My stomach tightened just thinking about it.

"I didn't mean that," he whispered into my hair. "I'm so sorry for even uttering those words. I never want you to leave, Annabeth, and I hope you remember that. I was just acting out in anger."

I took a deep breath, nodding once to let him know it was okay.

"It's fine, Percy," I told him.

"No, it's not." I could feel his hot breath in my ear as he said that insistingly. "Annabeth, right after the crash when I turned to see you . . . Gods, there was so much blood. And you were just lying there, motionless. I couldn't see if you were breathing, and my hands were shaking too much to try and find a pulse . . . Annabeth, I can without a doubt say that was the worst time of my entire life. I-I thought I'd lost you."

He buried his face in my neck, his arms tightening like he was scared I was suddenly going to disappear and leave him.

"Percy," I said softly, scooting closer to him. It was like I couldn't get close enough. I couldn't get enough of his hug. "I'm right here. I'm okay."

"Yeah, but the last thing we had done was fight," he said, his voice cracking. I ran a hand through his hair, my palm cradling his head. "And I hadn't done anything to make it better, just argued back."

"Percy, let's just forget about us fighting and all. Can we just go back to being friends? I've missed that."

"I missed that, too."

"So we're good?" I asked, leaning back to look at him. He sent me a lopsided grin, the first I'd seen in days. My heart picked up slightly and a smile came on my face as well.

Percy brought a finger up and slid it down my nose, ending with a small tap. "We're good, Wise Girl."

Oh, gods. That nickname was so endearingly adorable-but only when he said it. My grin grew.

Even though I was sitting in a hospital bed with a pounding headache, tired beyond belief, I was the happiest I'd been in days.

* * *

The rest of the day was filled with so many visitors.

Jason and Leo were first, coming only ten minutes after Percy and my heart-to-heart conversation. My talk with them consisted of Jason stoically asking for details and seeing if I was okay and Leo gobbling up the lunch the nurse brought me and trying to think of the many ways he could kill Octavian.

After they left, Frank and Hazel slipped in, their questions much more subdued and instead just making sure I was healthy.

Rachel came, too. I was grateful for her checking up on me, even though it was rather awkward with Percy in the room. She just gave me a hug, whispering reassurance in my ear that it'll all be okay.

The whole time Percy never left my side. He just sat, his silent presence an immense comfort to me.

After Rachel had closed the door, a yawn drew my mouth wide.

"You tired?" Percy asked, me from the seat beside the bed. His green eyes had brightened since we made up, the bags disappearing a little more with each smile I gave him.

"Yeah, I'm getting there," I replied, snuggling deeper under the covers. A thought struck me. "Wait, what day is it, Percy?"

He scrunched his eyebrows up together in thought. "Um, August sixteenth."

"Your birthday is in two days!" I said, sitting up in alarm. "I'm gonna be stuck in the hospital." A sound of frustration tore out of my throat. "I'll ask the doctor if I can get out early."

Percy stopped me, putting a hand on my shoulder to push me back down onto the pillow. "No, Annabeth, you are not stepping out of these doors until you are fully healed. We'll just skip my birthday this year."

I snorted. "That's ridiculous. We are definitely celebrating your birthday. Now, what do you want?"

He shook his head, sighing. "You don't need to get me anything. I don't even feel like celebrating."

"Is that because I'm sitting in a hospital bed?"

His deflated shrug proved my statement to be true.

I huffed, turning on my stubborn voice. "Perseus Jackson I absolutely forbid you skip your birthday because of me. You can celebrate it without me, and it'll be fun. But no skipping. Nopety-doo."

He rolled his eyes, a small smile alighting upon his face. "Annabeth, you're one special girl."

I grinned, winking at him playfully. "You know it. Now can you please go get me my brother? I want talk to him. And you eat something and get some sleep." I gave him a serious look. "Okay?"

"Okay." He paused, then said, "Wow, that was that cheesy line from that chick flick that everybody cries about, right?"

"It's called _The Fault In Out Stars_, Seaweed Brain," I said, sending my eyes to the ceiling. "And it was a book first."

He shook his head, getting up and heading to the door. "Of course the book is the more important one to you, Wise Girl."

"You know the title was stolen from Shakespeare's _Julius Caesar_, right?"

"Back to spouting out random facts of uselessness?" he called over his shoulder.

I muffled a yawn with a huff. "Nothing about Shakespeare is useless, you piece of classic-hating poo."

He chuckled, sending me a wave before exiting. I couldn't help the little smile that appeared on my face at our small bickering I had missed.

A second later, the door opened again and my brother walked in.

"That was quick," I said, eyebrows raised.

"I was sitting outside," he told me, going to place himself in the unoccupied chair, "waiting for you two to finish talking. What were you talking about?"

"Shakespeare."

"Ah, a topic worthy of many sophisticated conversations."

A half grunt half laugh came from my mouth. "Nothing is sophisticated with Percy."

Malcolm turned to me, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to study me. I shifted in the bed, frowning back at him. "What?"

"You like him, don't you?"

"Excuse me?" I spluttered, shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"You like Percy. I know you do. I listen to the way you talk about him, and you always get this little smile when you say his name," he told me, his eyebrow raised in amusement. "Just like you did right then. And whenever you talk about him, you have this sort of adoring exasperation in your voice."

I rolled my eyes. "Since when did you become the love expert?"

"I just remember it being the same whenever you were around Luke," he told me. "But now you barely even mention Luke. It's all about Percy."

A yawn escaped my lips. "Well, we're just friends," I said, laying back down and adjusting to a comfortable position.

He shrugged. "Just so you know, I like Percy better than Luke."

I rolled my eyes. "I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Changing the subject, are we, Beth?"

I ignored his smirk, saying, "Percy's birthday is in a couple days, and I know what I want to get him."

"A teddy bear? A kiss?"

Sparing him a glare, I continued with, "I just need you to purchase something for me."

"And that would be?"

A grin spread across my face as I told him. Percy will love this.

* * *

**Hey, my lovelies! How was that for a relatively fast update? I felt like I owed all of you for being so supportive. **

**So, what do you think Annabeth is going to get Percy? :)**

**Love you all, and thanks for the fun reviews! **


	21. Chapter 21

Percy agreed to celebrate his birthday only if I was there to do so with him.

With a roll of my eyes, I asked him how that was possible, seeing as both he and Doctor Apollo wouldn't let me out of this stupid hospital room until I was fully healthy. So that's the reason why, on the morning of August 18, I woke up to party streamers running the length of my room, a table with presents in the corner, and a cake on the counter next to me. And yes, everything was blue.

Barely a minute after I woke up, the door to the room opened and the whole clan tromped in—Poseidon, Sally, Paul, Malcolm, Jason, Leo, Frank, Hazel, Rachel, Mrs. O'Leary in Sally's arms, and last but not least, Percy.

A laugh was torn out of me as I sat up. "You were serious when you said you were going to decorate the room."

Sally replied with a smile, "A birthday is not complete without decorations!"

I shook my head, still chuckling as Percy came over to me, sitting beside me.

I held out my arms and gave him a hug, saying in his ear, "Happy Birthday, Seaweed Brain." I could feel him smiling on my cheek.

"Thanks, Annabeth."

"You know, you didn't have to do this. You probably would've had much more fun if you celebrated at your own house."

"Not without you, Wise Girl," he answered, leaning back and offering me a lopsided grin that made my stomach clench. I returned the smile.

"Let's get this party started!" Leo yelled, running over to the presents.

The next hour was filled with laughter, jokes, and presents. We decided to have cake before lunch, because after all, you never know when you're going to die. Live life while you can, right?

Percy had regained that sparkle in his eyes that had faded ever since our argument and the car crash. He played with Mrs. O'Leary, joked with Jason, Leo, and Frank, and even had a nice conversation with Rachel.

He was in the midst of opening up Sally's present to him when I felt someone slide into the bed next to me. I looked over to a red-haired girl with bright green eyes.

"Oh, hey," I said, shifting to face her.

She narrowed her eyes, looking at me expectantly. "What did you two do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something obviously happened between you two that put you at odds with each other." She didn't sound accusatory or jealous, just curious.

I sighed, twiddling my thumbs. Only Jason knew about the kiss between us, and I didn't really feel like repeating everything again. But for some reason I felt like I needed to still get it off my chest. I wanted to talk about it with another friend, and Piper wasn't here for me to spill.

So I told Rachel everything, making sure my voice was quiet so nobody would hear. They were all focused on the presents anyways.

Rachel listened intently. I told her everything from the day of the kiss to the argument during the horse lesson to the car crash to the making up the other day. She sometimes would look away at Percy, nodding absentmindedly while deep in thought.

When I finished, I waited with bated breath for what she was going to say.

"There's something more."

I frowned at the three words she spoke, saying in a baffled voice, "What?"

She pursed her lips, looking just as confused gazing at Percy. "There's gotta be something more to his motives of not being with you. I don't understand. Anybody could see he's crazy about you, and you're crazy about him. I know, he may have needed some time, but . . . I don't know. It just doesn't sound like that's the only thing."

"What do you—"

"Annabeth!"

I was cut off by my brother's voice, and my head snapped over to him, eyebrow raised. He gestured to Percy, who was looking at me expectantly. In his hands he held a small, wrapped box—my present.

A smile appeared on my face as I watched him, urging him to continue. He walked over to me while taking off the tape and paper, sitting beside me as he beheld the cardboard box under.

He glanced once at me, then looked back, breaking open the box. The room was silent, waiting to see what was in it. Only Malcolm, Poseidon and I knew what was inside—Poseidon because I had to ask him a question about it.

Percy dropped the box once he had grabbed the things inside. He held two pieces of paper in his hand, and his eyebrows furrowed as he read the small words.

Then his jaw dropped and his eyes widened to the size of quarters. "No freaking way."

I bit my lip, smiling largely. "Yep. Two tickets to New York. I think it's time you visited a beach, Seaweed Brain."

Everybody gasped and then started talking animatedly, shrieking with excitement. Percy just sat there, stunned. Then slowly he turned to me, a grin growing on his face.

He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, managing to say, "Thank you, Wise Girl. Thank you so much."

I smiled back at him. "Just think of it as a gift, me thanking you for tolerating me all summer."

His green eyes danced with mirth as he pulled me into a tight hug, and I laughed, returning the embrace.

"I was going to get two more tickets for Poseidon and Paul to join you, but Paul has to teach school those days and Poseidon said he had a meeting with some other rancher dude. So it's just you and your mom."

"Thank you," he repeated, his words full of utter gratitude.

I rolled my eyes. "You're welcome, now stop thanking me! You deserve this."

His eyes went back down to the tickets clutched tightly in his hand, beaming down at them like they were a pot of gold. "The ocean. I get to see the ocean."

I smiled at him. "Yes you do. And in less than a week. I had to send you soon before school started. When does your college start, exactly?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Sometime in August."

"You're going to the University about a half hour away, right?"

He nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I didn't want to go far. I've still got to help dad around the ranch."

"I'll be leaving soon."

That dimmed his excitement, and he glanced back up at me, his sea-green eyes latching with mine.

Rachel's words flitted through my head. Was him needing time and space just it? Or was there something else that was holding him back? The pessimistic side of me said that maybe he just didn't like me at all. Just as a friend.

"Annabeth, thank you so much, darling," Sally said, coming up to us. She clasped my hand in hers, squeezing it. "I've wanted to take Percy to the beach for so long."

I grinned back at her. "I'm sure you guys will love this place. It's called Montauk Beach."

She dipped her head, then turned to Percy. "Well, we better get packing. We leave in four days!" She let out a little excited squeal, turning to go blab to her husband about it.

Percy chuckled, watching her. "I think she's more excited than I am." He turned to me, a little frown on his face. "You sure you'll be okay here?"

I sent my eyes to the ceiling. "I'll be fine, Percy. You'll only be gone for three days, not including the day of travel. And besides, I'll have your dad and Paul and Jason and Leo and even Mrs. O'Leary."

He bobbed his head, but he was already distant again, thinking of his trip. I was glad he was so happy. I wanted to do this for him ever since he told me loved the water but had never been to the beach. I was more than capable of getting him tickets, anyway.

I just hoped he and his mom would have a fun time.

* * *

Two days later I was discharged from the hospital.

Malcolm stayed in Colorado just long enough for me to get settled back at the house before he took a flight back to California. His absence had taken a toll on his business, and as much as he wanted to stay, he had to go back to attend his job.

I was glad he came, though, and I told him so as he was leaving.

"There was no way I wasn't coming," he said back to me, his hug tightening. "I'm glad you're alright, little sis. And that was a good idea, getting those for Percy. He's really happy."

I nodded, then leaned back in the embrace. "Malcolm, what you said about me and Percy . . . well, I just wanted you to know that that's true. I do like him. A lot."

He smiled, tapping my nose. "I knew that. I was just stating the fact."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the blush on my face. "I just wanted to tell you myself."

"Okay. And what I said about him being better than Luke? That was true too. Definitely."

Cocking my head, I replied, "Can I ask why he's better?"

Malcolm shrugged, looking to the side. "I don't know. I just have a better feeling about Percy. And I can see he genuinely cares about you. Meanwhile I never know what Luke is thinking—his acting skills can be kind of scary."

I laughed, then told him, "You better go or you'll miss your flight. And Poseidon is taking you, and he doesn't like to wait."

With one last smile and wave, he headed out the door, leaving me behind. The afterimage of bright blond hair and a wide smile lingered in my brain as I heard the car outside start up. It was the new truck Poseidon had gotten, an exact replica of his old one. I had begged to help him pay for it, but he adamantly refused, and he made me deal with it.

"Annabeth?" Percy called from the other room.

When I hummed in reply, loud enough to reach his ears, he asked, "Do you want to do a puzzle?"

I rolled my eyes, sighing. "Is this the kind of puzzle where I do all the work and you eat and play with Mrs. O'Leary and we argue the whole time?"

You could hear the grin in his voice as he said back, "Yeah, pretty much."

A rueful smile assisted the roll of my eyes as I answered. "Okay, Seaweed Brain."

* * *

It was the day before Percy was going to New York to the cabin by the beach. He was ecstatic. My ears felt like they were going to fall off because Percy had blabbed to me all day long about how it was incredibly awesome and that he was going to have the best time of his life. Mrs. O'Leary caught on to this excitement, and by the end of the day, she was hopping around with almost as much enthusiasm as Percy.

"I wonder if I could try surfing," Percy mused at the table while we were eating supper. "And do you think we'll see any sea creatures? I hope we do. I love dolphins. And fish. All fish. Gods, I even love sharks!"

The telephone hanging in the wall started ringing, and Poseidon with one last amused look towards his son, got up to get the call.

"You really are excited," I commented, pushing around the food on my plate with a smile.

A lopsided grin adorned his countenance. "I'm more than excited! I'm . . . I'm like—like super excited!"

I bust out laughing, sobering up just long enough to say, "I like your vocabulary."

His eyes twinkled. "Thanks again, Annabeth. You really shouldn't have done it, but I'm sure as Hades glad you did."

I reached out and patted his shoulder. "I'm just glad to see you so happy. Friends do that for each other, right?"

His eyes dimmed a little, and I frowned. However, before I could ask him anything, Poseidon reentered the room.

It was like his demeanor made everyone quiet and we all stared at him—or, more importantly, the downcast look on his face.

"What's wrong? Who was on the phone?" Percy asked, eyes narrowing at his dad.

Poseidon exhaled largely, coming over to his seat. "That was your mother, Percy."

The black-haired boy and I exchanged quick glances before I pressed with, "What did she want?"

Poseidon seemed to regret what he was about to say. "She can't go on the trip tomorrow."

Percy's fork clattered to the plate. "What do you mean she can't! Why not?"

"Paul just called, and apparently Sally come down with a sort of flu virus," he explained calmly. "She's been throwing up, and she's got a high fever. She said she wished she could come, but she'd just be a burden. She's really sorry."

Percy was silent. All that excitement from before had been replaced with disappointment.

Meanwhile, my mind was racing with concern for Sally, panic because this was supposed to make Percy happy, and anxiety because what was going to happen now?

As if he was reading my thoughts, Percy voiced, "What now?"

Poseidon sighed, pursing his lips as he sat back down. I twiddled my thumbs while I frowned.

"I don't want to go by myself," Percy said. My heart twisted at his fallen face, his eyebrows drawn together slightly.

"I can't go, and Paul can't go," Poseidon stated. "We could try Jason or Leo or some of your other friends."

Percy shook his head. "Leo's grounded because he blew up a garage." I held in a snort. That sounded like Leo. "Jason can't, he's gonna see his sister for a week. Frank also can't, he's got his military camp thing."

Poseidon's eyes briefly flickered to mine, and they lit up. "What about Annabeth?"

I froze, my teeth pausing in the midst of gnawing on my inside cheek. "What?"

"What about Annabeth?" the older man repeated, looking around. "You could go with her. We could probably conjure up some form of disguise, and she'd get through the airport. Plus she knows her way around places, and it would be good for you two to spend some more time together before Annabeth has to leave."

My heart drooped a little at the word "leave," but then it picked back up again at a faster pace when I realized exactly what he was saying.

"Wait, wait," I said, holding up a hand. "You want me to go with Percy to New York. Just us." Oh, gods.

"Yeah." Poseidon was starting to nod his head as if he were warming up to the idea. "That way Percy doesn't have to go alone. It'll be fun."

My head snapped over to Percy, trying to gauge what he was thinking about this.

Percy was frowning, staring at the table, but he started to bob his head as well, shrugging. "Sure, why not?"

"But—I—" I didn't even know why I was protesting. I guess I just didn't know how I'd be able to make four days alone with Percy without saying anything utterly stupid like "I like you a lot, Percy." If I went, the trip could end really badly.

"Yeah, let's do it," Percy said, smiling now with a twinkle in his eye as he looked at me. "You in?"

I opened my mouth and then closed it, still mulling over my anxious thoughts.

But then Percy added those puppy dog eyes, making him look absolutely adorable. "Please, Wise Girl? For me?"

I let out a huge breath, shaking my head as my own smile formed. "Okay, then. I'll go."

While he whooped and got excited all over again, my mind was racing with one prayer that was bouncing painfully around in my brain, desperately trying to make it up to the gods in the sky for admittance.

_Please don't let me regret this._

* * *

**To put my life in a cuss-free, small sentence: It sucks. **

**Two weeks into school and I've already done two research papers, three presentations, four labs, and volleyball has started and I have games every Tuesday and Thursday and practices every night. I mean, seriously. I'M JUST A SOPHOMORE. Please cut me some slack! Bleh.**

**So I apologize profusely for the extremely delayed update. I know, curse me, hate me, I don't care, I deserve it. Sorry it's so short and that it bounced around a lot—it was kind of just a filler. But I hope you like it nonetheless!**

**Thank you for reviewing! They brighten my dull days more than you would think when I read all of your feedback, because I almost never get flames and I love you all for that. :)**

**PLEASE: If any of you have wattpad, I have a story on there, and I would absolutely adore you if you checked it out. It's called "Little Lady" and my username on wattpad is "Sophia-Dee". So if you have time, please drop a line there. I might just be more encouraged to make a new chapter for City Girl, Country Boy too. ;) Thanks guys. Love you.**


	22. Chapter 22

For all his excitement he had previously shown, Percy was definitely not looking too happy now. In fact, he looked absolutely terrified and sort of . . . green.

Maybe because we were on a plane that was pulling out of the gate, about to take off. Percy had previously relayed to me that one of his biggest fears was flying.

"It's not that bad," I tried to reassure him, turning the little knob above me to soften the blow of the air conditioning. "Really. If you don't think about it, it's just like you're in a car."

"A car that's miles off the ground and could plummet to the earth and kill everybody or be struck by lightning or hit another plane or—"

"Okay, okay, calm down, Percy," I said, trying to not let the amusement show through my tone. "It's only about six hours."

"Anything can happen in just one second. We could die in one second. So six hours is, like, a bajillion possible seconds for us to die."

"Technically six hours only consists of about twenty-two thousand seconds. Not a bajillion."

"Not the time to be a smart-alec, Wise Girl."

I bit the inside of my cheek, hiding my grin. "Right. Sorry, Perce."

"Gods, we're gonna die."

I rolled my eyes. "Percy, just relax. We'll be fine."

"We're moving. We're accelerating extremely fast." He reached out and grabbed my hand, squeezing it to the point where I bet my fingers were blue. I couldn't believe he was actually this scared of planes. His eyes were tightly shut, and beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. I was surprised he wasn't having a panic attack.

Reaching down with my free hand, I grabbed my small bag and opened up the flap, pulling out a bottle of pills.

"Here," I said, handing them to him. I continued as he looked at them skeptically. "They're heavy sleeping pills. I take them sometimes when my head is so wrapped up with crazy things that I can't even think straight. They really work. Though I might have a hard time waking you up when we land."

As he heard this, he eagerly grabbed the pills, dumping a couple into his palm and tossing them into his mouth. He grabbed the water bottle at his feet and swallowed quickly.

After about five seconds, he looked at me. "Why am I not asleep?"

A peal of laughter slipped through my lips. "Percy, give it a few minutes! Gods, you are such an idiot."

He grinned sheepishly, not letting my hand go as he settled down into a more comfortable position.

I watched as the pills worked their magic. The worry lines drawn on his forehead were slowly erased as his eyelids started blinking for longer periods of time. The fright in his bright green eyes slowly dimmed, and soon, when he blinked once, he didn't show those gorgeous orbs once more.

Still his hand didn't leave mine.

"He was pretty scared, wasn't he?"

I turned to my side, seeing an older man with a scruffy face and kind brown eyes. He was watching both Percy and I acutely. I noticed he was in the section of the plane that had the seats pulled up so his wheelchair could fit snugly in, attached to the side of the plane.

"Yeah, I guess he was," I replied quietly so as to not wake up the sleeping black-haired boy. "Beats me why he's so deathly afraid, though."

"Every man has a weakness," he answered. "Even the strongest. Like Achilles."

I smiled. "Considering his name"—I pointed to the boy beside me—"is Perseus, I'd say that's a pretty accurate comparison."

The man copied my smile. "My name's Chiron."

Accepting the offered hand, I returned the greeting with a simple, "Minerva."

"Like the Roman side of the Greek goddess Athena."

"Yes, exactly," I said, pleasantly surprised. "You seem to like Greek mythology."

"I taught a few classes of it in high school. I also am a camp director at a camp based on Greek mythology."

I pursed my lips. "That's pretty cool."

"I can't say I don't like my job," he said with another smile. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a call. It was nice meeting you Minerva."

"You too," I said.

It was a good thing he hadn't recognized me. My disguise was simple, but apparently it worked pretty well. Rachel had helped, coming over to do my makeup before I left. I had color contacts in, making my eyes appear brown. My hair was straightened and pulled back into a neat low ponytail. My hair is never so nice like that, usually it was either a messy ponytail, or an elaborate up-do appropriate for red carpets. My Yankee's cap covered most of my features, though, which helped. I was also dressed sluggishly, in joggers and a plain t-shirt. Whenever people see me in public as Annabeth Chase, my mother always makes sure I'm well dressed and easily recognizable.

Speaking of my mother, I hadn't really told her about this shenanigan yet. Well, she didn't have to know about it. We'd be back soon.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a soft weight drop onto my shoulder. I looked down at Percy's head close to mine, the silky black strands soft against my cheek. A surge of adoration for the sleeping boy rose within me, and I smiled into his hair, giving his hand still clutching mine a little squeeze.

* * *

"Woah, look at that, Annabeth!" Percy said from beside me. "Look at all the water!"

I bit back a smile, saying, "Yes, it's called the ocean, Percy."

He just stared in open-mouthed awe, watching his dream come true. "Look at the waves! And the water, it's so blue. And it seems to go on forever. It's amazing. Can we go swimming today? Please?"

This time I let the laugh out. "We'll see. We have to unpack first. Let's get inside."

He picked up his backpack, then grabbed mine before I could, carrying it like the gentleman he is. The taxi had dropped us off right at our doorstep, and I scanned the area we would be living in for the next few days.

It looked like it was transported out of a magazine and onto the beach. The place was secluded, no other houses that close to us. The beach was the backyard to the quaint little wooden cabin, and the waves that crashed along the shore was a peaceful background noise, one that I could get used to.

The beach continued down, curving around to reach New York miles away. I had wanted Percy and Sally to enjoy the beach by themselves, so I made sure the cabin was away from any other people. Therefore, there was nobody near by. Farther down the road, lines of houses neighbored each other, hugging the street, and a few restaurants and shopping stores were also there. But for the most part, we had our own little beach.

"This is awesome. Thank you, Annabeth.

I rolled my eyes. "Perseus Jackson, I already said you're welcome. And you've said thank you several times."

"And I'm gonna keep saying it, because this is freaking awesome."

Smiling, I replied to him, "I'm glad you like it. Now let's this stuff inside."

He grinned lopsidedly back at me, then headed up to the cabin. The wooden steps of the little porch creaked out a welcome, and I fished out the key we had gotten from the owners, inserting it in the slot and pushing the door open.

It was a cute little room, and surprisingly spacious for looking so small on the outside. A kitchenette stood on one side, and on the opposing side was a couch that faced a battered TV. Straight to the back was the doorway to the bedroom, which contained a queen-sized bed and a sliding back door to go straight to the beach. Through the glass by the window above the head of the bed I could see the rolling ocean, the sun glinting off of it.

I could practically feel the excitement sliding off of Percy as he took it all in, his gaze settling on the ocean.

"Can we go swimming now?" he asked, sounding like a toddler.

I laughed. "Go ahead, Percy. I'm gonna get everything situated." Another laugh escaped my lips as he let out a whoop, then rushed over to the back door and ran out. Two seconds later, he came sprinting back in, his cheeks tinted red.

"I kinda need to get my swimsuit on, huh?"

I bit my lip, holding back a smile as I answered. "That might be a good idea, Seaweed Brain."

* * *

Two hours later, Percy was splashing about in the water, entertaining himself by trying to stay still then touch one of the fish from the schools of the tiny creatures that would come up by him. I was laying out on the sand, hoping to keep my tan. Sunglasses were a constant on my face, plus a floppy sun hat, just in case someone decided to wander up here. It reaching a later time in the afternoon, and my stomach was beginning to feel empty.

I pushed myself up to sitting position, digging my fingers in the sand. Little drops of sweat had started to form against my forehead, and I wiped them off before addressing the boy galavanting in the water. "Percy!"

His head shot up to me when he heard his name, his eyebrows raised. I motioned for him to come over to me, and he tromped out of the sea, heading my way. Once he reached me sitting down, he leaned over and shook his head vigorously. I shrieked as the cold drops of water splattered my skin.

"Stop it, Percy!" I said through my grin.

He laughed, stopping before asking what I wanted.

"Let's go get something to eat," I told him.

As if on cue, his stomach growled fiercely, and a sheepish smile lit up his face. "Yeah, I agree."

Percy dried himself off, then just threw a shirt over his head. I slipped on a simple cream swimsuit cover that was almost like a dress, then wrapped all of our stuff up, bringing it into the cabin. When I came back out, Percy was waiting for me, and he offered me a bright smile.

We went walking down the street to the small town not far away.

"Percy, what are you going to do after college?" I asked, suddenly curious.

He let out a deep breath. "I don't know. That sounds the start to a deep conversation."

"I'm just wondering. What do you want to be?"

We walked in silence for a little while, Percy kicking thoughtfully at a stray rock on the empty sidewalk. "Probably take over the ranch. It's been in the family for gods know how long. Marry someone, raise a family—just have the typical life."

Before I could suppress it, my mind flashed forward to years later, placing myself in Percy's life. I saw us dating, saw me walking down the aisle, saw little kids running around with horses as Percy and I watched.

Then my mind retreated hastily, and I knew I was acting insanely. _Stop, stop, stop,_ I told myself, reverting back to the old chant.

_But "Annabeth Jackson" does have a nice ring to it,_ that voice continued. Sometimes I thought someone was interfering on my thoughts and saying stuff like that, and I couldn't stop it.

_Stop, stop, stop._

"What about you?" Percy asked beside me, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked over at me with raised eyebrows.

I set my gaze straight, the sun glinting off my hair in the corner of my eye. The buildings were growing steadily larger with every step we took. "To be honest, I have no clue."

"Well, it's probably going to be something with acting, right?"

I gnawed on the inside of my cheek. "I guess."

He frowned in my peripheral vision, but didn't say anything, apparently waiting for me to elaborate.

"I don't know. I feel like that's what everybody is expecting. I mean, I'm Annabeth Chase, world-reknown actress. That's what I'm going to be stuck as for the rest of my life."

"And you don't like that?"

"I know I may sound selfish and snobby, but I'm just not . . . content. I know I'm rich beyond belief, and thousands of girls would kill to be in my position, but . . . I don't know. I feel like if I just keep going the way I'm going, I'm going to end up at a dead end with a shallow life. And it scares me."

More silence ensued. I hugged myself, rubbing my arms despite the warm sun rays streaming onto my skin.

Percy let out a single, breathy laugh. "Looks like I was right about the deep conversation."

I smiled, letting my face stretch wide. When I looked to the side, I caught Percy staring. When he caught me catching him staring, he cleared his throat, looking away before answering with, "So you don't want to act?"

"No, I love acting, don't get me wrong—I just feel as though that's not what I should put my main focus on."

"Well, of course not. You're main focus should be on people."

My eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean?"

"If you put your whole life into a thing, like acting, singing—or even horses, you'll find you always come up short. Those can't provide you with something worthy in life. It's people that will do that. Your future spouse, your best friend, your mom or dad, your siblings—they'll be the ones that are always there for you. They'll be the ones you can rely on. If you place your dependence on a 'thing,' you'll never be satisfied. That's why the gods created other people."

I soaked that all in as our footsteps sounded against the concrete. A car passed us by, and I instinctively ducked my head to the side. "You know, Seaweed Brain, you can be pretty philosophical."

He held a hand over his heart, grinning cheekily. "I try, Wise Girl."

Chuckling slightly before growing serious again, I said, "But I guess that makes sense. Maybe I was thinking—well, _am _thinking too much about what I'm going to _do _in life, not who I'm going to do it with."

He held out a hand. "There you go. I know this will sound cheesy, but that's what love is. People sticking with you through thick and thin, always being there for you. I know love is really overrated these days, and people use it so freely, but I'm more careful with it, because I still believe it's a precious thing."

I recalled Rachel telling me that he would never tell her "I love you." I guess she was right in thinking it was because he thought too highly of the word to use it so carelessly. "Love is weird, though."

He laughed. "I agree. It shows up at the wrong time—"

"With the wrong people."

"But somehow, someway, it all pans out in the end. It's one of the ingredients for the perfect, sweetest dessert."

A giggle escaped me. "Only you would compare love to a dessert."

He wiggled his eyebrows at me. "As long as it's blue."

I rolled my eyes, the smile stuck to my face. Who knew that I'd be talking about love with Percy Jackson? The way he described it, the way he held the prospect of love in such reverence, it made my own feelings for him grow. It seemed he made them grow everyday, more and more.

But I found myself not caring.

"Ah, here we are. I'm starving." Percy quickened his steps as we got to the outskirts of the small town. It was eerily like West Burge, in the sense that it was small and homey. A cozy cafe here, a library there, a coffee shop on the corner—it was perfect.

Percy instantly veered towards the cafe. A light green sign waving at us in the slight breeze read, "Demeter's Delights."

There was an outside eating area and Percy grabbed an empty table. It wasn't hard to find—considering the time was around eight o'clock at night here, but for us, we were used to it being six right now. Most people had eaten two hours ago.

Percy held out my seat for me, and I sent him a grateful smile that he returned as he pushed my wooden seat in and took one for himself. Less than a minute later, a waitress appeared. She looked to be around her mid-forties, and her smile was warm. Despite how nice she looked, I still kept my head down, my hat covering my face.

"Hello, welcome to Demeter's Delights. My name is Demeter, and I'll be your waitress for the night," she explained as she handed out a pair of menus. "Can I start you out with some drinks?"

"Can I get a coke, please?" Percy asked. "She'll take a diet pepsi."

I smiled as Percy spoke my thoughts. The waitress nodded, and then proceeded to bid us goodbye, saying that she'd return for our orders.

"Wait, ma'am?" Percy called out, pausing her. "Can you make that coke blue, please?"

She frowned, but smiled nonetheless. After all, who couldn't smile in return to Percy's lopsided, sheepish grin? "Of course, sir."

She left, and he grinned in satisfaction. I perused the menu, scanning the foods and seeing which one my stomach responded to the most.

"Annabeth?"

I glanced up at him questioningly.

He hesitated a second before continuing. "Now that you see things in a different light, do you know what you want to be—or where you want to be in a few years?"

I bit my lip, my eyes distant on the menu. "I don't know. Still something with acting, but . . . well, we'll see, I guess."

He nodded.

About a minute later, "Annabeth?"

I sighed. "Yes, Percy?"

"Do you think, after you have to leave and go back to California . . . will you ever come back to visit?"

"Of course, Seaweed Brain. You're one of my best friends, and I can't stay away from Poseidon and Sally and Porkpie for that long."

It was as if a weight was picked up off his shoulders as he shot me a smile.

"Annabeth?"

An exasperated exhale was released from my throat. "Oh, my gods, Percy, what now?"

"Who do you think you'll end up marrying?"

Okay, that was _not _what I was expecting. My eyes shot up to him, and I saw his cheeks were red and he wasn't meeting my eyes—almost like he was embarrassed of what he just said.

"I mean, will you marry—like, what kind of person?" he stammered, trying to cover up. "Will you marry Luke? Once you marry someone, will you still visit?"

I could feel the heat radiating from my cheeks. "I don't know, Percy."

"He is who you have a crush on, right? That's why you wanted to learn how to ride horses so badly, so you could get in the same movie as him."

"Well, yes," I admitted. "But I also really wanted to just be in the equestrian world. I love horses."

"So . . . you do like Luke?" he looked wary, as if he was dreading what the answer was.

My mouth opened, then closed. What should I say? How could I tell him that Luke was now squished into the corner, Percy took up all of my mind. I found myself not liking Luke anymore—only Percy. He was the only one, the one my feelings were directed to.

I was saved from answering as the waitress made it back to our table.

To say that the rest of the dinner was rather awkward would be an understatement.

* * *

After we had eaten, we made it back to the cabin and got ready for bed. Percy had given me the bed, and he set up camp on the couch out in the mini living room. The bed was comfy, and I sighed in relief as I laid down and relaxed after the busy and somewhat awkward day. The conversation from before crept up in my brain, teasing a blush onto my cheeks. But I shoved that away, rolling over in bed and stuffing my face in the pillow.

"Annabeth?"

I bit back a smile. "Yes, Percy?" I called to Percy through the open door. I couldn't see him from here, but his voice carried easily across the rooms.

"I'm sorry."

I frowned. "For what?"

"For being so mad at you back at home. For making that week so tense between us, and then for getting you hurt in the crash."

"Percy, it's fine. I was pretty much the reason for all of that. We only crashed because we were arguing, and we were only arguing because I . . . I did that thing."

"You kissed me?" He said it so plainly, so simply. But I could hear a tint of something in his voice. What was it? Regret? No. Disappointment? No. Wistfulness? Maybe . . . no, it couldn't be.

"Yeah, that," I replied, my cheeks warm.

"Okay. Goodnight, Annabeth."

I pursed my lips, shaking my head at the quick conversation that surfaced so many emotions. "Goodnight, Percy."


	23. Chapter 23

**This chapter is dedicated to CreativeWritingGirl, for shoving me off my butt and telling me to start focusing on this story again. Thanks for the chat, CWG. You honestly don't believe what you're reviews can do for me, this story, and all my dedicated readers. I'm sorry for being a horrible author, maybe this chapter will make up a little bit of it.**

* * *

Percy couldn't get enough of the ocean. I woke up the next day to Percy trying to sneak through my room to get out the back way—ultimately leading to the ocean. He shot me a sheepish smile as I rolled sluggishly over in my bed, seeking sleep once more.

After I had gotten that morning's sleep, I slipped out of bed, changing into my swimsuit and throwing the same swimsuit cover on. I grabbed a granola bar on the way out, calming my rumbling tummy. It was eight o'clock, but it was already at least seventy degrees out. The early sun shed its light, and the birds sang gratefully in the trees surrounding us. The waves crashed alluringly against the shore, and the sand was soft under my toes—overall, it was absolutely perfect.

I took a deep breath, soaking in the moment before heading farther out. Percy was laying on his back out in the water, spinning around in circles. A snort of laughter erupted in my throat at the boy. He acted so childish when he was in the sea, it was adorable.

Reaching my destination, I fluffed out a towel onto the sand, sitting down on it and adjusting my sunglasses.

"Good morning, Wise Girl!"

I smiled. "Good morning. You got up early."

He shook his head in disagreement. "You got up late," he corrected.

Rolling my eyes, I replied with, "Percy, eight is not that late."

"It is when the ocean is nearby! Come on, get in the water!"

"No, thanks. I'll stay dry up here."

He grumbled, called me a "loser-pants", and even begged me to come out—but I refused. My mother had always hated the water for some reason, and I think that passed down to me. I just didn't feel safe in the inconceivably vast ocean.

Finally he gave up, resorting to spinning around again. I walked down to the water's edge, letting the water reach up and tickle my toes.

"Have you heard anything from your mom?" I asked Percy.

He tipped his head back to look at me upside down. "Yep. She called earlier this morning. She's doing fine, it was just some stomach flu. She says hi, by the way."

I grinned, glad Sally was doing better. She was like my surrogate mother, and I was disheartened when she couldn't make it on the trip.

Though when Percy stood up and trudged over to me—his hair wildly tempting and his toned body glinting from the water—I was secretly and wickedly glad I got to come in her place.

Shaking those thoughts off, I stared out at the water. That didn't help. They were the same color as Percy's eyes.

"Thanks for coming with me," Percy said, his voice soft.

"It's no problem at all, I always enjoy some beach time."

"Wanna swim?"

I exhaled exasperatedly. "Percy, I already told you. I'm not swimming right now. You'd have to drag me out there before I willingly went in."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm . . . You're gonna laugh at me."

"I pinky promise I won't laugh at you."

I sighed. "I'm afraid of the ocean."

It was two quiet seconds before Percy burst out laughing.

I stomped my foot, glaring at him accusingly. "You said you wouldn't laugh, you liar."

His guffawing continued as he leaned down on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "I—I'm sorry, just—scared of the ocean?" Another fit of giggles rose in his mouth and I sent my eyes to the sky.

"Idiot," I muttered, pivoting and marching away.

"Annabeth, wait!" Percy called behind me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh!"

"Right, sure you didn't," I replied sarcastically, making my way to my towel.

A hand grabbed my elbow and swung me around. I met Percy's amused green eyes as he said, "I really didn't mean to. I just don't understand how anybody could be afraid of the ocean."

"I'm not scared of, like, the waves. They're calming, and the water is pretty. I'm just scared I'll drown or something."

"I'd never let you drown, Wise Girl." He looked so serious, his gaze latched onto me was so intense, it sent shivers down my spine.

I crossed my arms close to my body. "I still don't want to."

He pursed his lips, and I struggled to keep my stare on his eyes. It didn't help when he turned and looked back at the ocean. His ridged body twisted and adjusted, rippling like the waves.

I cleared my throat, blinking a few times and quickly shifting my eyes back to his when he turned around again.

"Percy, maybe later I'll go out. But not now. I'm gonna go sit in the sun," I told him.

"I will too."

I looked at him skeptically. "Don't you want to swim?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I'll have plenty of time to do that later. We do have a whole other day tomorrow, and then half a day after that before the plane leaves. So I'll sit with you."

"But—"

"Annabeth, I _want_ to sit in the sun. I need to tan this body up before winter," he said jokingly, pointing at his torso.

_Well, since he's asking me to look_ . . .

Apparently I looked a second too long.

"Like what you see, Chase?" Percy asked smugly.

I scoffed, trying not to blush. I blushed way too much around this boy. "In your dreams, Jackson."

He laughed. "You're cute when you blush and get all riled up, Wise Girl."

That did _not _help the blush leave. Instead, I scowled at him as we walked over to the towels once more.

When we got there, I proceeded to pull off my swimsuit cover. It was his turn to blush.

I smirked in contentment. I wasn't going to say I didn't have a nice body. As a popular movie star, I was forced to stay in shape. My mom made sure I took care of myself, giving me a healthy diet and a planned exercise routine.

Looks like it was paying off.

For the next two hours we relaxed in the sun. After a little bit, Percy got bored and decided to start making a sand castle. Feeling that it was okay, I took off my sunglasses and hat, letting the sun reach all of me.

"Wise Girl, look at my creation!"

I chuckled, thinking this should be good. With a grunt, I pulled myself onto my feet, brushing some sand off my warm belly as I walked over to Percy.

A scraggly blob with a few spikes sticking up was sitting in the sand.

"And that is?" I asked.

He pouted. It was ridiculous how he looked so cute with that expression. "It's the ranch back at home, Annabeth. Can't you tell?"

I bit my lip, trying not to smile. "Oh, yeah, I can tell. That's, uh"—I pointed to one of the scraggly spires sticking up—"that's the house—"

"That's Blackjack."

I barely contained my snort. "Right. I meant _that's_"—I fixed, motioning towards another bump—"the house."

He scowled at me. "That's my dad."

A bout of laughter slipped uncontrollably through my mouth, and I fell into a fit of giggles.

Percy huffed. "Like you can do any better."

I smirked. "Challenge accepted, Seaweed Brain."

Soon enough, I was working side by side with him, each of us trying to make the best figure. In the end, he had another disfigured replica of his bumpy barnyard, and I had a carefully designed, easily recognizable sculpture of the Empire State building.

Percy stared at it, his jaw hanging on the ground. "Geez, Annabeth! How'd you do that?"

I stood up, wiping my hands off. "I don't know, I guess I've just always liked architecture."

"It's so organized and clean," he marveled, circling it like it was an ancient relic in a museum. "I can even see the individual ridges in it." He glanced up at me, his eyes shining. "So you're good at directing and organizing things?"

Shrugging, I replied, "Yeah, I guess."

"That's something you could do. What about being a movie director? You'd be good at that."

"Why?"

"Because you can situate things, you're good at arranging details, and you're extremely bossy."

I scoffed, flinging a bit of sand at him. He snickered and wiped it off his chest.

Smiling and shaking my head, I asked, "So who won?"

"Find, I admit defeat," he said dejectedly. I laughed and patted his back reassuringly.

"Percy, you should know by now that I'll always win," I stated in a grand, playful voice.

A glint lit up in his eye. "You'll always win?"

"Of course. And there's nothing you can do about—AH! Percy!" I was cut off as Percy suddenly ducked and tackled my waist. In a second, he stood up and started running, me slung over his shoulder like a rag doll.

I beat at his back. "Percy, let me down!"

"Ah, ah, Annabeth!" he disagreed, still running, his feet flashing in and out of my view. "You said you'd always win, I'm proving you wrong. You need to go for a dip in the ocean."

With me shrieking in protest and him guffawing with delight, we reached the water's edge. A few more long strides from Percy and we were thigh deep. Grunting with effort, Percy tugged me off his shoulder and I went flying up and down, right into the murky water.

I wasn't submerged for more than a second before a hand wrapped around me and brought me back to the surface. I was spluttering, shaking hair out of my face. After I had wiped my eyes I opened them and saw Percy's green amused ones.

"That's not funny, Perseus," I snapped at him.

He giggled like a schoolgirl. "I thought it was, Wise Girl."

Sticking my tongue out at him, I started tromping back to the shoreline. I hadn't made it a few feet when Percy grabbed my arm and pulled me back forcefully.

"Come on, Annabeth!" he whined. "The ocean is not that bad!"

"Yes, it is," I shouted back to him, trying to tug my arm away. But he just pulled me closer almost like my yanks were nonexistent. I went crashing into his side, and he wrapped his arms around me and started off towards deeper water.

I was thrown off my feet as Percy seemed to move more quickly than possible, taking me with him out farther into the sea.

The unexplainable fear started to overtake me, and the cold depths of the water sent more chills up my spine. I wanted to close my eyes, but at the same time, I was scared to. Percy ignored my calls for him to stop.

Soon we were about a little above waist deep, and Percy swung me around in a little circle before pulling my trembling body close to him.

I quickly wrapped my arms around him in return, my feet scrambling for a firm stance.

Percy shushed me, saying, "Annabeth, I told you. I'd never let you drown."

My struggling stopped. I looked straight at him, his eyes so close to mine I could see my own reflection peering back at me.

My breathing steadied, my heartbeat calmed—I didn't feel afraid. Percy's words, so honestly spoken, made me stop and realize that the ocean wasn't too bad.

The waves lapped soothingly around our bodies, and the water swirled at our feet. I could feel the rise and fall of Percy's breaths. Actually, we were so close together I could feel all of his skin on mine, like a blanket of warmth attached to my body, sending little flickers of fire tingling up my arms.

"Are you afraid?" he asked.

"No," I replied, my voice barely a whisper.

"You're beautiful, did you know that?"

There goes the breath that I just caught. Percy said it bluntly, almost like stating a fact.

"Percy . . ."

"No, you need to know that. I know the world puts a lot of pressure on you. What you said yesterday, about everybody automatically assuming you were going to stay as an actress, that you would live that cliche celebrity life—it's true for you, and I don't know what it's like exactly, but I know it's a lot of pressure.

"Everyday you are forced into routine, one that the world picks out for you. People are telling you how to dress, how to act, how to speak—people are telling you who you are."

I looked away. He was speaking the truth, and it hurt me to think that I was following the world's wants so blindly.

"But you're beautiful the way you are, Annabeth. Everything about you, from your smart-alec moments to the times when it seems as you're the softest, gentlest person on earth," he said.

"Percy." My voice was barely a whisper. I wasn't even saying his name because I wanted to tell him something, I was just saying the name of the person who made me feel like I was perfect the way I was. I was saying his name, just loving the sound of it, loving being right in his arms, loving the way I felt so, utterly safe and content.

"Annabeth, you're perfect the way you are. And don't let anybody tell you otherwise."

For a full minute we just stood there, the waves rushing around us in small drifts, the seagulls speaking overhead, and the green and grey eyes, meeting with an intensity that almost scared me.

"Percy, do you still need to wait?" I asked, want lacing my words. "Do—do you still need some time, like you said?" I don't even know what was giving me the courage to ask that. But I needed to know. I needed to know what was holding him back.

All of a sudden, a great pain entered his eyes, like he had come to a realization and it agonized him far more than a physical cut. "Annabeth—"

"Percy, just tell me! Why—who—what is keeping you away?"

Our faces were close, our bodies flush up against each other. It would have been perfect, except for the suffocating tension sucking the breath out of me.

"Annabeth, I can't."

"Why not?" I demanded. "Why am I not good enough for you?"

"No," he stated vehemently. "No, don't you ever say that."

"Then what is it?" I asked, my voice growing quieter.

He stared at me, a battle raging in his eyes.

"Please," I begged with a whisper.

But instead of speaking, Percy just angled his head, leaning down to give me our second kiss.

Our first kiss was sudden, almost like it wasn't meant to happen, just sprang up out of nowhere. This kiss . . . this one was fiery. Passionate. A fierce flame had ignited between us, and sealing our lips together just fed the fire even more.

I kissed him back hard, letting that one tear I didn't know had leaked out fall down my cheek. Percy's hands came up to cup my neck, tipping my head back to get even closer to me.

I didn't care if anybody saw us. I didn't care that we still hadn't resolved whatever was holding him back. Let people stare, let that stupid obstacle that was in his way disappear—if it be just for one moment. All I wanted was this kiss, was Percy's embrace, feeling like I was important. And not the movie star, famous person important. I meant the important to someone for who I am, not for the characters I act out in scenes.

"Annabeth," Percy breathed, leaning back a little to put his forehead on mine. His eyes were twins with the ocean, swirling with just as much depth and chaos. "Annabeth, we can't."

I was still breathless from everything that had just progressed in the past few minutes. "Why not?"

"We just can't!" he said, his voice staying quiet, but ferocity lacing his words. "You and I . . . we can't do this. You're a world-wide famous actress, I'm a nobody in a small town with a ranch and a few horses. It just can't work out. You know it."

"It—It could, Percy," I objected, straining to find some positive answer.

"No, it can't. We don't fit, you and me. We're opposites. The world knows we're opposites. We're just two smitten people with no care in the world, yes, but it can't last."

I stood upright. "Yes. Yes, it can. I don't care. My mom can curse us to the ground, the world can shun me forever, but Percy, I don't care. I want to be with you. I want to so badly I don't care. Please. Please, can we just try this? Can we just—just try to be happy, and maybe everything will work itself out?"

He stared at me, his eyes searching my face. "You are so beautiful."

"Percy, please. It will be good for both of us."

He sighed, looking to the side. "Annabeth, I don't want this to come crashing down painfully. I'm just trying to be realistic."

"It'll be okay."

"You're leaving soon."

"To Hades with that, I can stay."

"You're movie—the one that started this all."

"I can still do it, I'll just come back a lot."

"Luke?"

That one stopped me. He looked so pained, like a physical force was punching him in the gut at the sound of that name.

"Percy, I did like Luke. Maybe a little part of me still does, but I wouldn't be able to tell, because everything—every part of that has switched over to you."

"Really?"

I smiled. "Really."

"So we can really try this?"

A small laugh was let out of my mouth, and Percy watched me, delight growing on his face. "Yes, we can really try this."

So without further ado, and with nothing holding either of us back, he leaned down, sweeping me in for another kiss.

Two tangled teens alone in a raging sea, and neither could think of anything but the other.

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**Sorry if it seemed kind of rushed, but it'll all work out in the end. THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. Gods, no. Sorry, ya'll are stuck with me for a few more chapters. Doing my Asian mental math (all you Indonesians out there, UNITE! Hehe, jk jk) I can tell you we have at least . . . eight more chapters left. I'll try not to be a stupid, nasty jerk and make you all wait again.**

**Truth is, I've been putting all my focus onto my own stories on Wattpad. Little Lady is time consuming. But I'd really really appreciate it if you guys checked it out. I've changed my username once more, and it's not "Sophia-Dee" anymore, it's "s-s-dee". So please, if you have time, look for Little Lady.**

**Love you guys. 3**


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm sorry for the major fluff. But it was too hard not too. :) Sorry for the multiple time changes.**

* * *

"Checkmate," I said triumphantly, moving my Rook to mirror Percy's coffee-colored, wooden King. That marked my fourth winning game in a row.

Percy took a second to glance anxiously around the board, searching for some way to contradict me. When finding nothing, he let out a long groan, collapsing back onto the shaggy carpet.

I watched in amusement as he groveled like a baby, muttering something about "Stupid, smart, pretty, Wise Girl."

"Percy, you weren't that bad."

At my words, Percy gave me a hard stare. "You checkmated me in five moves."

I hid a smile. "Well, it's better than last time, which I checkmated you in four."

A scowl entered his countenance, and I couldn't help but laugh, getting up from my seat by the floor and stretching my body. We'd been playing for a while, and my tummy was telling me it was time for dinner. I gathered the pieces of the game and put it back in the closet. We had been looking for something to do, and Percy had stumbled across the old chess set. Now I think he was regretting pulling it out.

"You hungry?" I asked, walking past him to the kitchen. I hadn't gotten two steps past until I felt a hand grab my own. In a second I was tugged down to the floor, Percy's arm snaking around my waist and trapping me there curled up against him.

He snuggled his nose into my neck and I giggled, planting a kiss on his hair.

"Seaweed Brain. We won't get anything to eat if we just lay here all day."

He took a deep, content breath, mumbling, "Lay here all day."

I rolled my eyes. When I looked back down, Percy was looking right at me.

"Have I told you you're beautiful?"

Smiling, I replied, "Just about ten minutes ago."

"Oh." He shifted, hugging me closer and pushing his nose back against my shoulder. "Well, you're beautiful."

I laughed and wriggled out of his grip, coming to a standing position.

"Ah, come on, Annabeth," he whined. "I need my cuddles."

"You're such a sap, Perce," I told him, grabbing his hand and hauling him up. "We need to eat something."

"Fine, fine," he complied. "I guess food can come before cuddles."

"After food we're going to bed," I said sternly. "We have a long flight tomorrow, and we have to leave early."

"Pooey on that," he called over his shoulder as he crossed the room to the kitchen. We had gone out for pizza this morning for lunch, and decided to just eat the leftovers for dinner. You can't get tired of pizza.

"Do you want the pizza cold or warmed up?" he asked, sticking his head out through the doorway so that only his crazy, black hair and bright green eyes were visible.

"Whichever works," I said absentmindedly as I folded some of his clothes that were strewn about on the living room floor. Seriously. We had been here a couple days and he already filled it with his things.

"Don't be a girl, just make a decision, Wise Girl," Percy told me.

"Percy, I _am _a girl."

"Woah, really? That makes a lot of sense."

I threw a pair of gym shorts at his head, smirking as it hit his face and fell off lazily onto the floor in a slumped pile.

In a split second Percy had dashed across the floor and grabbed my waist, slinging me onto his shoulder. I shrieked in delight, pounding at his back. He let me down with a laugh, stooping to plant a light kiss on my lips—soft as a butterfly, and the wings of it fluttering around in my mind and body.

Even though we had shared quite a few kisses throughout the past hours, and even more little stolen ones in between, they never failed to take my breath away.

It has been absolutely bliss now that we overcame that little obstacle holding us apart. Just knowing I was Percy's girlfriend (and when he called me that today when ordering our meal, I blushed as red as a tomato) made me so happy.

"Why're you smiling?" Percy asked.

"I was just thinking."

"About?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," I teased, tapping his nose. He sent me a lopsided grin.

"This still feels like a dream," he admitted. I was pulled into a hug, and I rested my cheek on his shoulder.

"Let's hope we never wake up then, Percy."

* * *

"Percy! Annabeth"

A second later my body was crushed against Poseidon's in a great bear hug, my backpack falling to the ground as I lost my hold on it.

I laughed. "'S good to see you again too."

"Hey, Dad," Percy said as we were both let down.

After a long trip back, I was glad to be at the place I considered home once more. It was sunny and warm; the forest was lush and green, looming around us like a giant, protecting wall; the horses' familiar knickers from the barn were like music to my ears. The ocean was nice, but it couldn't beat this.

"How was the trip?" Poseidon continued, grabbing my backpack for me as we started towards the door.

I sent him a grateful smile and walked beside Percy to the house. "It was nice."

"Very nice," Percy added, sending me a sidelong smile. I caught the undertone, and a blush tinted my ears. I longed to grab his free hand with mine like we did so many times during the trip throughout the airports and on the small walks. It felt so right to have our hands linked. But before coming to the house, we had agreed to keep it quiet for a little while.

So I kept my hand to myself, averting my eyes. But a smile grew on my face as well.

"I'm glad you had a good time. Sally is better, but Paul caught whatever she had. So she won't be here to welcome you back. But we're going over to their house tomorrow for dinner. Paul should be done with the sickness by then."

We entered the house, Poseidon wandering to the kitchen to whip up some sandwiches, leaving me and Percy to unpack.

Percy helped me bring my luggage up to my room. He dumped it all on the bed and turned to me.

I let out a satisfied sigh. "Ah. Home sweet home."

"You know why would make it sweeter?" Percy asked with a grin as he walked towards me.

An exaggerated thinking face was adopted onto my countenance. "Hmm. Some chocolate? Candy?"

A small laugh was let out of my mouth as he leaned down and captured my lips for a quick kiss.

His soft reply sent a tickle up my lips that were so close to his. "Almost." He kissed me again, this one lingering. "But this is better."

I don't think I'd ever get used to Percy's kisses. Each one seemed better, each one left me wanting another. They were light as a feather, but as strong as the sea. I could almost feel that I meant a lot to him, just through the kiss, through the hands that held me close to him.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my trance. Poseidon's voice followed. "Annabeth?"

Percy sighed, leaning back with a wistful smile. Then he flopped himself down onto my bed while I went to get the door.

"Yeah?" I said after pulling the entry open. Poseidon looked around and saw Percy, saying, "How many sandwiches would you two like?"

"Just one, please," I said.

"Five," Percy's voice called from behind me.

I rolled my eyes and sent an exasperated glance over my shoulder at Percy. He was grinning, and Poseidon chuckled, saying, "That's my boy. By the way, Sally called. She said that Paul was doing a lot better, and the dinner was moved up to tonight. She's meeting with a friend tomorrow, so we had to reschedule. We'll leave around six, okay?"

Both Percy and I agreed, then Poseidon bade us goodbye and walked away.

I kept the door open and looked over at Percy. He gave me a pout as he said, "No more kisses?"

My eyes once again were sent to the heavens. "Percy, you need to unpack."

He grumbled and dragged himself upright. He gave me a pouty face the whole time he walked out the door, but I could see the smile underneath. You'd be hard pressed to find a time over the last couple days when either Percy or I wasn't smiling.

When I shut the door, all those earlier concerns came flooding into my brain. Would this work? Could we keep this up? I was due to leave in about three weeks. I had already prolonged my stay. Could Percy and I do the long-distance relationship?

Ignoring my concerns, the butterflies started fluttering at the word "relationship." I couldn't believe it.

Percy had been right on our last day—this does feel like a dream.

* * *

Who knew going to get some extra ketchup for hamburgers could turn into World War III?

Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but with Percy, I guess anything was possible.

We had been eating at Sally's. It'd been a quiet, pleasant occasion. Paul was doing better than any of us expected, but he was hesitant to give me and Percy hugs—he didn't want us to catch the remnants of his sickness. I was still amazed at how well Poseidon and Sally got along, and Poseidon and Paul. I thought these things would be awkward, but they talked as if they were the oldest friends.

Percy and I were left to sneaking smiles at each other across the table. You know the feeling when you're in a happy mood, and if you look at someone, you both are going to start giggling like there's no tomorrow? Yeah, that was me and Percy.

When Sally asked me to go find more ketchup in the kitchen, I excused myself gratefully, letting out my laughter on the way.

I liked Sally's house—it was the cute, cozy kind of house. Small, but it fit all her and Paul's needs. The kitchen was painted a light blue, much like Sally's eyes. The hallway on the way there had many pictures hanging up, and I paused for a moment to look at them. My smile grew at the sight of a baby Percy on a horse. A too big cowboy hat that had fallen over his eyes couldn't cover the grin on his little face. He still had that lopsided smile that I had grown to adore.

Pulling myself away, I trudged into the kitchen. I opened the fridge to look for the ketchup and apparently I was focusing too much on finding it. Only when I had grabbed the ketchup, opened it to make sure it wasn't new and I didn't have to pull away the plastic on top, and had turned around did I realize someone was right behind me.

I let out a little shriek, my heart jumping and my hand tightening.

Yeah, the hand that was around the ketchup bottle.

The ketchup bottle that had its top open.

A split-second later, Percy's green shirt was covered with a string of red ketchup.

I put my hand over my mouth, my heartbeat calming as I realized it was just him.

"Oh, Percy," I said between my fingers. "You scared me."

He glanced down at his shirt, then scowled at me. He had a sparkle in his eyes though. I looked at his shirt, then couldn't help but start laughing.

"I liked this shirt," he said.

"I'm sorry," I replied, trying to hide my smile. "What are you doing in here anyways?"

"Well, I was going to come see if you needed help, but—"

"Needed help?" I asked, seeing right through him. "Because finding a bottle of ketchup is so hard?"

"Since you just used up that one in your hand on my shirt, then it might be hard to find another."

I scoffed. "Don't exaggerate, Seaweed Brain. I barely got you."

"But I got a lot of ketchup on you."

Frowning, I asked him, "What are you talking about?"

I had failed to see the mischievous smile on his face, and next thing I knew, he had grabbed the ketchup and squirted it all over my own shirt. I gasped, jumping back, my jaw dropping.

"Percy!" I screeched quietly, not wanting to alarm the parents.

He started laughing. I glared at him, then looked around the kitchen while he was focused on his triumph.

A wicked grin grew across my face as I saw the extra mashed potatoes from dinner that Sally hadn't been able to fit in the bowl we had out. I scooped my hand in, then took a deep breath before turning around and flinging it at Percy.

It hit him square in the face, and it was my turn to laugh. Percy wiped the potato off his face, giving me a look. I responded with an innocent smile and a flutter of my fingers. Next thing I knew, we were having an all out food fight.

Percy had grabbed a handful of the whipped cream Sally made for dessert and then I had the fluffy sweetness all in my hair. A couple of M&amp;M's were then chucked at Percy, some clinging to the ketchup and mashed potatoes. Percy had found a tomato somewhere, and that splattered across my dark blue shirt.

We were dancing around, laughing our heads off, and throwing food at each other.

My stomach hurt from laughing so much. I hadn't laughed like this in a long time.

All the breath was taken out of my body as Percy poured ice water on my shirt and my body felt like it had been thrown in a freezer.

He pointed at me with laughter as I scowled at him. My scowl turned into a smile as I saw the ketchup, mashed potatoes, M&amp;M's, whipped cream, Cheerios, squashed banana, coffee, and mayonnaise covering his body.

Though I guess I probably didn't look much different.

I reached behind me and grabbed whatever my hand found. It happened to be a container of flour. Don't ask me how that got there—Percy and I had been pretty much just grabbing things out of cabinets and it probably fell out during then.

Percy saw it, and he watched me take off the cap.

"Wise Girl . . ." he said slowly, holding his hand out as he started to back away. I advanced on him with an evil grin, the smile growing as I saw him back right into the corner of the counter that was shaped like an "L". He was trapped.

"Any last words, Percy?" I asked him smugness as I lifted the plastic container, ready to throw the contents at him.

"Suleedulpholifd." The gibberish he just spoke made me pause and raise an eyebrow.

This gave him time to grab my wrist and spin me around, making me caught in the corner. His free hand took the flour of my grip, and he pushed me against the counter so I couldn't move anywhere.

"Ha, I got you now," he whispered, leaning his head close to mine.

"I can use the distraction card too, Seaweed Brain," I told him, smiling.

He shook his head. "I will never be distracted—"

I pushed my head forward and kissed him, long and sweet. He tasted sweet, but also salty, and a little bit like mashed potatoes. His hand instantly let go of be flour, and it fell to the floor with a crash. But he didn't seem to care as he brought his now open hand up and cupped my blonde curls, pulling me even closer to him.

I had meant to distract him and then grab the flour, but apparently my distraction had also distracted me.

He picked me up effortlessly then stuck me on the counter so my head was at the same height as his. He spared me a smile before tugging me close once more. We were a giggly, sticky mess—and don't you dare make that a dirty statement.

I leaned back, smiling. "You smell, Seaweed Brain."

"I wonder whose fault that is?"

"Percy? Annabeth?" Sally's voice from the hall ways, approaching quickly, made us jump apart. I hopped down from the counter and he took a step away from me. We couldn't hide the grins, though.

When Sally appeared in the kitchen followed by Poseidon and Paul, they all stopped dead in their tracks.

Her kitchen was a mess. Percy and I stood side by side, heads hanging.

"Uh, sorry, Mom," Percy said, offering a weak chuckle. A tomato slid off his shoulder and fell to the floor with a splat, right next to the heap of flour.

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

Sally, gods bless her, just shook her head and smiled ruefully. "What am I going to do with you two?"

Percy shrugged. "Keep us?"

I sent her a grin through the food.

A sound that was similar to a snort trying to be covered by a cough emitted from Poseidon, and I looked over to see his shoulders shaking. A second later, Paul was beginning to laugh, and the clear rings of Sally's laughter bounced about in the room.

"Don't get me wrong," Sally said sternly as we had settled. "You two aren't leaving until my kitchen is as clean as those in a magazine."

Percy groaned. "But that's—"

"Fair," Sally finished for him. "You messed it up, you clean it."

Percy rolled his eyes, but he smiled adorably at his mom, saluting her. "Ma'am, yes ma'am."

We all started laughing again as Percy tried to click his heels together but slipped on food, falling to the floor in a pile.

As I glanced around at all the wide smiles and twinkling eyes, I was struck by how happy I was.

I didn't want to leave this place. I felt like I had found my family, found my home. I never wanted to let them go

* * *

**Not my best work, but I wanted to get something out for you guys. So how was it? Any guess as to what will happen next?**

**Thank you to everybody who still kept reading my story—even though I had a two month lazy spell and didn't update for you guys. You deserve a hundred more chapters, but sadly, I'm only human. Thank you for all the reviews, they meant the world. :)**


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